The Third Master
by Guera Mexicana
Summary: Alternate universe. Lord Baal has ruled Earth for thousands of years. He mostly leaves the low earthlings to themselves but his influence is felt far and wide.
1. Chapter 1

I have been working on this for a very long time and I wanted to finish it before uploading it. I hope it's as good as it is in my head.

Alternate universe. Lord Baal has ruled Earth for thousands of years. He mostly leaves the low earthlings to themselves but his influence is felt far and wide.

* * *

She sat quietly at the table curious about her new surroundings. The table was beautifully decorated and was filled with an abundance of food. If there's one thing she had learned it was to never touch food before being invited. That lesson was learned after being starved for nearly 3 weeks in her first master's home. Now her third master was sitting at the far end of this long table. He hadn't yet said a word to her. It wasn't entirely unusual, but she couldn't judge what kind of man he was without speaking to him.

They had both been sitting there for the last 10 minutes. As soon as he had entered the large room he sat at the head of the table and began eating. The room was probably the most beautiful room she had ever seen. Her new master was certainly wealthier than both of her previous ones. Its walls were as far apart as her last master's garden walls. She could judge this perfectly because she had stared out of the only window of her last cell for hours on end. At least the view of the garden was better than nothing.

A quiet cough split the silence. She looked to where the sound came from. A very large man dressed in the typical clothes of a Head Guard stood near her new master. She could see that the guard had a symbiote pouch. He was a Jaffa. They were always Jaffa's. Her master turned slightly to look at the guard. As far as she could tell not a word was spoken. She wasn't even sure the man had moved, but her master then stood, picked up his plate and glass, and walked to her end of the table. Shocked, she looked down at her hands in her lap. Another lesson she had learned, although with more difficulty, was to never look directly at the master. Her cheek had been slapped more than once because of her inability to learn her place quickly enough.

"You're not eating?" He said as he sat in the closest chair next to her.

She simply shook her head not daring to look up.

Her master took a bite from his lamb chop, slowly chewed, then said, "I see you've been taught your manners. I wonder how long it took for them to sink in."

He had said it with just enough intrigue to make her wonder what he really meant by it.

"You may begin eating."

She picked up her fork even though she hadn't used one in a long time and began piercing small pieces of food. It was awkward for her, but she was able to put them in her mouth without spilling anything. It had also been a long time since she'd had a warm meal in her belly. She'd spent the last month waiting in the auction cell for her turn to stand on the platform. Her new master had bought her instantly. Slowly, she ate what was before her not wanting to seem too eager.

"I want you to tell me about yourself," he said when she seemed full. When she said nothing, he tried again. "How many masters have you had?"

Since he had asked his first question she was now allowed to speak, but she kept her head down. "My Lord, you are my third master."

"How old are you?"

"My Lord, I am 22."

"Why were you sold again?"

"My Lord, Master Jenson was unhappy with me."

It was a standard answer and they both knew it. He gave a small grunt that had a hint of laughter to it. "I want you to know something. You'll find that living here isn't going to be like any of your previous homes. I saw something in you when you stood on the auction platform yesterday." Clearly what he had seen was her blatant disregard for the rules. She had kicked the guard that had brought her onto the platform. He tried to touch her and she would have none of that. "I am going to give you a chance of real happiness here. But you have to trust me and you have to let me trust you." He paused and let that sink in. "Do you think you can do that?"

"Yes, my Lord." She was lying. She had run away from her first master's home twice and then on her third attempt at running away she was sold to her next master. She had given him an embarrassing black eye the day before he took her back to the auction house.

"I want you to understand that being here will not be as bad as you think it is." He knew she was lying, too. He had done his homework on the slaves being sold yesterday. "Look at me." It took longer than he expected, but when she lifted her eyes to him he said, "I'm going to do something for you that I've only done once before. I'm going to give you full privileges while you live here."

She wasn't sure she knew what that meant. Her face must have shown that, too.

"You are free to walk around wherever you want while inside the walls. That includes the garden, too. But, you are to be guarded by my head guard, Teal'C at all times." He pointed to the man who had made the coughing sound. "Nothing will be off limits to you. Teal'C has nights off so when that time comes you will be confined to the harem room."

She was still unsure of what was happening.

"Do you have any questions?"

She stared at him longer than she should have, but quietly asked, "Why are you doing this?"

"Like I said, I saw something in you and I want to help you. Believe it or not, I'm a nice guy. You need to realize that it's much safer in here than it is outside the walls. Do we have an agreement?"

Her curiosity was beyond measure. She decided she would give this a try. At the very least she could find out how to escape. "Yes, my Lord."

"Good! Let's give each other some introductions, shall we? I am Jack O'Neill. What's your name?"

"My name is Samantha Carter, my Lord.


	2. Chapter 2

I hadn't planned on updating this so soon, but I felt ya'll needed some more. Here is a short chapter to tide you over.

* * *

When she had arrived from the auction house the servants had washed her. It felt like they had scrubbed every layer of skin from her body. They then applied scented oils, which were also very soothing. She had never been so clean even before being sent into this life. They dressed her in white pants and a white top, but left her feet bare. It seemed that everyone had bare feet. The floors of her new home were immaculate and she was sure they were supposed to stay that way. She spent her first night in a room by herself. The room was simple with only a bed and a table with a lamp, but it was still the nicest place she had been in since she left her home.

After meeting her new master Sam was escorted to another room by Teal'C. "Master O'Neill has instructed me to show you to your new quarters. This room is yours from now on." He opened the door and Sam gasped. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. She slowly went inside. The bed was large and had a light blue blanket and pillows all over it. It scared her to think what would happen on it. She ran to the huge window. The view was amazing. Her master's home sat at the top of a hill overlooking a valley of trees, rivers, and more hills. It went on for as far as she could see. The sun was behind them and would soon disappear entirely. It left the sky above the valley bathed in pinks and purples. She had never seen anything like it before.

"It's beautiful!" she exclaimed.

"Indeed."

Sam had nearly forgotten Teal'C was even there. She quickly turned around. "This is mine?"

"It is. Master O'Neill says you are to be treated with utmost respect. He wishes you to be most happy here."

Sam looked around at the rest of the room. There were two doors opposite of the one they had entered. A table sat near the window. It had all sorts of things Sam could only assume were to help her be ready whenever her master wanted her. Smaller tables were on both sides of the bed each with a lamp on them. A couch was in the center with a table next to it full of fruit.

Teal'C pointed to the door they had entered. "When I am relieved of duty each night that door will be locked and guarded." He walked toward one of the other doors. "This is your bathing room and closet." He walked to the other door and opened it. "This is your door to the rest of the Harem. You are permitted to enter this door whenever you wish. Their door is also locked and guarded each night."

She walked across her room to the door he opened. It revealed a very large room with beds all around the edges divided by thin curtains. The center of the room had tables on one side and couches on the other. Scattered around the room Sam guessed there was twenty women. She saw one that couldn't have been more than 12. They were plainly dressed but Sam noticed they were all clean. Something Sam was not used to seeing.

"This is Master O'Neill's harem. I will take you to the Head Lady. She will teach you the ways in this house." Teal'C led her to the end of the room with another door. He knocked and waited.

"Come in," came a pleasant voice.

He opened the door and they both entered. This room was similar to her own room except for the colors. A woman was sitting at a table. "Janet Fraiser, I have brought you Master O'Neill's newest member of his household. This is Samantha Carter. Master O'Neill has granted her all privileges."

Janet's eyes opened in surprise. "I see. Thank you, Teal'C. I can take it from here." She waited until he had left the room. "Hello, Samantha." She smiled warmly. "I understand this is all quite a shock to you. It's my job to make sure you are as comfortable as possible and to teach you how we do things here."

Sam had heard this speech twice before but never with this much sympathy and care. She wanted to believe her, but after what she'd already been through she was afraid to.

"Is there anything I can do for you tonight, Samantha?"

"No, thank you." Another automatic response.

Janet smiled and stood. "Samantha. I'm sure Jack explained that you're in no danger here. This house is much different than most. You can even tell the truth. Now, is there anything I can do for you tonight, Samantha?" she asked again.

Sam sighed. "No, really. I'm fine. And you can call me Sam."


	3. Chapter 3

Sam stayed up all night anticipating the first visit from her new master. He never came. She was so shocked she couldn't have been more surprised if a giant fireball had fallen from the sky. She paced the room for hours, ate everything in the fruit bowl, and counted the tiles on the floor. When the sun came up through her window she had finally given up, closed the curtains and fell asleep on top of her bed.

He didn't come the next night, or the next. In fact Sam waited almost 3 weeks and he still never came to her room. She stayed in her room except for walking around the beautiful gardens surrounding the house. Teal'C stayed by her side constantly. Her food was brought to her room. Janet dropped in every couple of days but only stayed for a few minutes. Sam was beginning to think this was a new form of breaking her in, a torture unfamiliar to her.

Janet tried to encourage her to freely roam the house. As Head Lady she had the same privileges as Sam, but she didn't have the restriction of being on guard at all hours. Finally Janet dragged Sam through the house with her. Teal'C remained close behind as usual. Besides explaining what was where the two of them didn't talk. When they came back to the main harem door Janet said, "Sam, you've got to believe me. Jack isn't what you think he is. You could like living here if you just give it a chance."

"You're allowed to call him Jack?"

Relieved at making the tiniest bit of progress with her Janet smiled. "Technically we're all allowed to call him Jack. But there's a kind of unspoken rule that the rest of the girls follow, especially when he's around. He doesn't mind if they call him Jack, but the girls tend to call him Master Jack. You and I have been given full privileges, so we don't have any restrictions. He prefers that we call him Jack."

"I don't know if I feel comfortable doing that."

"Suit yourself. I'm always here if you need me." Janet left her and walked into the harem.

After that Sam started slowly coming out of her room. She began eating with the rest of the harem, but didn't talk to them. No matter how friendly they were Sam didn't want to make friends fearing she'd be sent to another house again. Janet kept telling the other women to give her time and she'd come around.

Eventually, she took Janet's advice and was roaming through the house. She explored the main areas like the dining room, the parlor where the master received guests, and she even found the kitchen. The servants offered her some food, but she said no and continued through the house. She rounded a corner and found a room that wasn't on her tour with Janet. Janet hadn't said whether or not anything was off limits, so Sam wondered why she didn't see it before. Seeing the door open she entered and found what appeared to be a music room. Various instruments were propped on stands holding them up. There was even a piano. She had seen one a few times, but it was usually something only the very rich were able to have. A couch with it's back to her was in the center of the room and Sam barely saw that someone was sitting in it. Only a head showed over the top. She took a step closer, tempted to say something until she heard a moan. The head turned to one side. Concerned that something was wrong with the person on the couch Sam took a few more steps inside the room. It was then that she noticed another head was bobbing up and down slowly in the person's lap. The person moaned again. She saw the couple was a man and a woman. She was starting to feel very uncomfortable. She wanted to escape as quickly as possible, but something strange caught her attention. Sam noticed that the man on the couch was very still. Whoever was between his legs was controlling what she was doing. Sam had been forced to watch plenty of times while her master or his friends forced themselves on women. She had been one of those women as well. What she saw now was far different than what she had experienced.

Curiosity got the better of her and she was now rooted where she stood. The woman was certainly good at what she was doing. Her actions received another moan from the man.

"Janet, I'm not going to last much longer."

_Janet?_ Sam was surprised to hear that name. She slowly backed away to the door. Sam hid behind the doorframe but was unable to take her eyes off of what was happening.

Janet stood, turned around, and straddled the man backwards. Sam could see that she didn't have any clothes on. Janet leaned back against the man while his hands caressed her body. He grabbed one of her breasts and softly kneaded it. This time it was Janet that moaned. Sam had never heard a woman make that sound before. The man then reached between her legs and slowly rubbed her. Janet moaned again. Their bodies moved together gradually going faster. Both of them were moaning and soon Janet let out a loud grunt. The man followed immediately after her. Amazed at how these two acted compared to what she knew about sex, Sam couldn't help but watch. It was strange, fascinating, and wonderful!

Janet stood again and started getting dressed. "Thank you, Jack," she said.

_Jack?_

"You're welcome, Janet," he said quietly. "Hey, could you stick around for a minute? I'd like to talk to you."

"Of course!"

"Have you made any progress with Samantha?"

Now Sam's attention was all on Jack.

"A little. I think you made a good choice with her. She's taking her time coming out of her shell. I told the other girls to leave her alone. It's always quite a shock. They understand. I like her, though."

"I saw something in her when she stood up on the auction platform. I can't put my finger on it. She's special."

"I can see why," Janet agreed. "She's beautiful, too."

"Yes, she is, but I'd like to get to know her."

_He just called me beautiful._

"Hmm, I don't know enough about her to help you with that."

"See what you can come up with."

"Ok."

"Do you have anything to report about the other girls?"

"No, there's nothing new since the last time we spoke."

"Good. Thank you, Janet."

Janet nodded and turned to a door Sam didn't see before. Sam stepped out of the doorway. She saw Teal'C standing next to her. His face was blank. She couldn't tell what he was thinking. Worried, Sam rushed back to her room. Before entering her room she had a sudden thought. "Teal'C?"

"Yes?"

"Why hasn't Master O'Neill requested me, yet?"

Teal'C paused. "Master O'Neill is not like other masters. His harem is special to him."

Special seemed to have a different meaning to Sam. "But what I just saw. Is that normal?"

"I suggest you speak to Janet Fraiser."

Sam narrowed her eyes at him, wondering why he'd dodged her question. "Will she tell the truth?"

Teal'C looked her square in the face. "Janet Fraiser is one of the few people that always speaks the truth."

His statement was so direct; she couldn't deny he knew Janet was a good person. "Maybe I will." Sam spent the rest of the night in her room thinking about what had happened that day.


	4. Chapter 4

Just a little warning that this chapter contains a little F/F, but its for educational purposes.

* * *

Sam did not speak to Janet right away. Instead she watched her. She watched how Janet interacted with the other women. They loved her. She solved problems simply and quickly. Sam knew that fighting in a harem was bad news. It only led to punishments, expulsions, or death. It seemed that the women's problems weren't petty. It was nothing like what Sam had experienced before. Sam could tell they respected her.

She watched the world of her new harem for a few days. She observed that they were all quite busy. Part of the day was dedicated to educating the women. Sam learned that most of them had never been taught how to read or write. She was one of the lucky ones. Her father had been wealthy enough and had a respectable job thus allowing Sam and her brother to go to school. But, she knew that education was purposely limited, especially for girls. Part of the day was for job training. Sam learned that Jack provided training for any position the girls wanted. If they aspired to become a housemaid they would be trained. If they wanted to be a farmer they were trained. They all knew, however, that no job was guaranteed. They were still apart of a highly flawed system that enslaved them all.

When her curiosity finally reached its limit Sam went to see Janet. "Come in," she said. Sam was beginning to love the sound of her gentle voice. "Sam, what a surprise!" Janet stood up and held a hand out for her. "Come sit with me." Sam obeyed and sat down on the couch. "Is something wrong?"

"No, why do you ask that?"

Janet cocked her head. "Because you've never come to my room before. I always have to go searching for you."

Sam smiled. It was true. She didn't know how to begin.

Janet seemed to sense her hesitancy. "How are you liking your new home now that you've finally left your room?"

"It's the most beautiful place I've ever been to. It feels like a dream."

Janet smiled. "Yes, I remember feeling the same way."

Sam was suddenly curious. "How long have you been here?"

"About 3 years."

"Wow!"

"I know. It's rare for anyone to stay in one place for so long. Masters get bored and trade back and forth. Jack is my second master."

Sam thought of what she had seen but decided to wait a little while longer before asking her about it. "What did you do before this?"

"That feels like a whole lifetime ago." Janet paused looking down at her hands.

"I'm sorry. I don't want to bring up bad memories."

"No, it's good to talk about the past. It will help us heal. It will prevent us from making more mistakes. I was married before. We were very happy. His name was David. He died 4 years ago. I couldn't pay our debts and I had no family left to take care of me, so I was sold. My first master was terrible! He forced himself on me every day for a month. Then he started letting his friends take me. Sometimes I had 3 or 4 men."

Sam winced knowing full well what she was talking about.

"One day it got so bad I started bleeding and it wouldn't stop. My master had me dumped at the auction house. Jack heard how bad I was and bought me immediately. If he had waited one more day I would be dead. He called for the doctor and eventually I healed."

"I'm sorry," she said again.

"Jack saved me. He saved all of us. You've seen Megan. She's 13. Jack heard she had been orphaned and bought her before anyone else could."

Sam was disgusted.

"No, it's not like that, Sam! Ask her yourself. She's never known a man. Jack saved her from that horrible fate."

"Oh," she finally understood. "I had no idea."

"You would if you talked to them. There is more than one woman in there that was protected the same way. A few couldn't be saved fast enough, but Jack did what he could."

"Why is he like that? I've never even heard of a master like him."

Janet sighed. "That's his story. You'll have to ask him."

Sam nodded contemplating what she had learned.

"Janet?"

"Yes?"

"I saw you with Master O'Neill last week. I was walking around and found the music room." Janet looked surprised. "I'm sorry for watching, but I couldn't take my eyes off of you. I'm confused about it."

"What is so confusing?"

Sam took a moment to gather her thoughts. "There are two things that are bothering me. You say Master O'Neill isn't like other masters, yet you were with him."

"I see. What else is troubling you?"

"Well, I've never seen a man and woman together that way. He wasn't rough with you. And the sounds you both made! It was like you were enjoying it."

Janet laughed. "Sam, have you never been with a gentle man?"

Sam put her head down embarrassed by it. "No."

Janet reached out and took her hand. "I can tell you all about it."

"Really?"

"Of course! You'll be shocked about the possibilities! Which one of your troubles would you like to talk about first?"

Again, she thought about it. "If you want me to trust Master O'Neill, I would like to know why you were with him."

"Fair enough." Janet paused thinking of what to say next. "I told you I was married. We were happy. We loved each other very much. I knew nothing about how a man could be other than how he was with me. David was gentle. It only made me want to be with him more and more. It developed into a need. After he died I was lonely, but I didn't have time to mourn him. I was sold after a week. Sometimes when they took me I could feel the pleasure of being with a man."

"Pleasure?"

"Yes, Sam. It can be very pleasurable! I'll talk about that in a bit. When I came to live with Jack none of my desires were being met. Finally, I took my problem to Jack. I begged him to take me. It was everything I needed. He allows me to go to him anytime I need to."

"Does he ever come to you?"

Janet sighed. "It has only been a few times. I could tell he needed it the way I do." Janet grew slightly serious. "There's something else you should know. Sometimes Jack has to entertain certain people. It's important for him to maintain his image or he could lose everything. As you know guests are offered anyone from their host's harem. Jack is slightly different. He invites me to those dinners. I am the only girl his guests are allowed to be with. There are also many rules. Teal'C has to be there, for one. If his guests abuse the rules Teal'C is authorized to kill them."

"He makes you do that?"

She shook her head. "No. It's a necessary evil. I protect Jack and I protect the girls."

Sam let her words sink in. "Has he ever taken the other girls?"

"No, never."

"Never?"

"Jack is special, Sam."

"I thought something was wrong with me when he didn't request me."

Janet laughed again. "No. Don't worry, he won't ever force himself on you or anyone."

"I have a hard time believing that, too."

Janet let it go. She knew someday Sam would understand. "How about your other question?"

"How can being with a man feel good?"

"Well, first of all, most men are incredibly impatient. A woman needs time to let her body adjust and prepare. A good lover knows this. Our bodies are incredible and the feelings that can come from good sex are so good they're indescribable!" Janet was smiling.

"It's unbelievable!" She shook her head.

"I can understand why you wouldn't know any different. I was blessed to be married to a good man. If I had skipped that part of my life I may be just as ignorant as you." Janet looked at Sam. "You know, I could show you."

"Show me what?"

"Sam, I can make you feel so good you'll never want it to stop."

"Really? I don't have to be with a man for it?"

"No. It helps a lot, though. There are things only a man can do. Sometimes when I don't feel like bothering Jack I just do it by myself."

"What?"

Janet laughed yet again. Sam's innocence was delightful. "Yes! I can show you."

"Ok. How do you do it?"

Janet took a quick glance around her room. "Let's see. I think it would be easiest if we stayed here, but you should take your clothes off." Sam stood and removed her pants and top. Janet grabbed a towel and laid it across her couch then propped a bunch of pillows against one end. She sat down at an angle with her back against the pillows. "Sit here, between my legs and lean against me."

"Like you did with Jack?"

"You really were watching."

"Yes. I'm sorry," she repeated.

"Sam, stop saying that." Sam sat down and carefully leaned against Janet. Sam was taller than she was, but they soon figured it out. Janet gently slid her hands up Sam's arms. She instantly felt the goose bumps rise. "Our bodies are incredible," she started quietly. "Every inch of us is made to be touched, to be felt. Just relax." Softly her hands moved to Sam's collarbone. She felt Sam sigh and relax deeper. "Close your eyes. Feel every sensation." Janet moved her hands down to Sam's breasts. They were supple and both nipples were firm. Janet gently played with the fullness not yet wanting to tease her new friend's sensitive buds.

The first sounds of desire escaped her.

Janet smiled. "See," she said softly. "It feels good." Janet gently tweaked the hard nipples before sliding one hand further down. "You'd be surprised at the places your body feels pleasure." Her hand found its target and Sam let out a quiet yelp. "Do you feel how wet it is?" Sam nodded. "It means you are preparing for something wonderful." Janet realized Sam was holding her breath. "Relax, Sam. Breathe. Good. Feel how I massage the outside." Janet continued to massage both Sam's breast and her folds. "You have more here." Janet's fingers circled around. Sam moaned softly. Janet inserted a finger into Sam's center. "And here you can feel where your pleasure comes from." She inserted another finger. "The moisture you feel comes from deep within you. In here is another place that can make you feel good. We will focus on something else, though." Janet removed her fingers and instantly went for Sam's sensitive spot.

"Oh!" she cried.

"Shh. Breathe. That's it." Janet continued massaging her breast slightly increasing her strength. Janet's hand circled around with various speeds and intensity. Sam's lower body started shivering and convulsing. "Relax. Let it happen. Breath in. Let it out." Janet's voice was low and soft, but Sam began moaning. Janet increased her ministrations. Soon Sam began bucking and Janet had to keep her from sliding off the couch.

It only took another minute for Sam to yell out in ecstasy. "Oh!" she said again. She convulsed over and over. Janet slowly stopped but kept her hands around Sam.

When Sam's breathing returned to normal Janet asked, "How do you feel?"

"Mmm, I'll never doubt you again!" She tried sitting up, but couldn't find the strength. Janet helped push her off. "Wow!"

Janet giggled. "Imagine how much better it can be when you do that with someone you love." Her giggle turned into sadness.

Sam didn't know how to respond. On one hand she was feeling elated, but her new friend was hurting.


	5. Chapter 5

"Master O'Neill wishes to see you," Teal'C said after knocking on her door.

_So, this is it,_ Sam thought. "I'll go prepare."

"That is not necessary. Master O'Neill is anxious to see you." She nodded and followed him out. He led the way to a room she hadn't been to, yet. She guessed it was his office. It was filled with books. More books than she'd ever seen. He sat at a desk covered in papers. "Samantha Carter, Master O'Neill."

Instinctively Sam looked at the floor. Despite what everyone kept telling her she couldn't help but follow what she'd been painfully taught.

"That will be all, Teal'C." Jack waited for him to shut the door behind him, then he stood. "Would you care to sit down, Samantha?" He pointed to the couch between them.

She had forgotten what his voice sounded like. Their first encounter was brief and he hadn't said very much. But it was as if she had spoken to him yesterday. His voice was smooth. It made her feel comforted. Only one man had ever made her feel like that and that was her father. Sam said nothing to Jack.

He sighed. "Ok, how about a walk? I never take full advantage of my own house."

"Whatever pleases you, My Lord," she said still looking down.

"Samantha, tell me what you want."

"I want to please my master."

"For cryin' out loud!" He quickly went to her and grabbed her hand. "Come with me."

Slightly caught off guard she took a few wobbly steps. His pace was quick but not too fast for her to keep up. He didn't stop until he came to a door leading to the gardens. Sam had spent more time in these gardens than anywhere else in her new home. She probably knew it better than he did. The bright sunlight momentarily blinded her.

"I know you're out here a lot so we might as well do this on your turf. I'd like to be able to have a normal conversation with you." He let go of her hand and began walking slowly. "Is this better for you?"

She simply nodded.

"Good. How are you liking it here?"

"My master's home is wonderful."

"Seriously, Samantha." He turned to look at her. "I know you don't talk like this with Janet or anybody else. _Talk_ to me."

Sam stared at him cautiously. Her last master took great pride in trying to break her. He would use tricks to get her to let her guard down. But she quickly learned not to trust him. Here, it was different. No matter how hard she tried to find a fault or weakness in their act there was absolutely nothing she could see that told her it was fake. She couldn't help but notice how handsome he was. He was in his prime. She guessed he was about 35 or so, maybe a little older. His hair was shining in the sunlight and his dark eyes seemed to pierce right through her. "Sam."

"Hmm?"

She cleared her throat. "Call me Sam."

"Sam. I like that." He turned back to the path and waited for her to start walking again. "Tell me about yourself. How long were you a slave?"

She didn't miss the way he'd asked her in the past tense. "A year."

"Where were you before that?"

"I lived at home with my father and younger brother."

Jack knew all too well why she was here, now. "They died?"

"No," she sighed sadly. "Not both of them. My father got sick about 2 years ago. There was nothing we could do. After he died my brother disappeared. He always talked about leaving for a good job somewhere. I figured he couldn't face my father's death and he ran away. I don't know for sure."

"And you were forced to pay off debts?"

She nodded. "My brother didn't know how much money we spent trying to help my dad. We lived in a good home. Not like this, but we were safe. One day I woke up and I was alone. There wasn't even a note."

"I'm sorry you had to go through this, Sam. The laws are terrible. I'm doing everything I can to help those less fortunate."

She looked at him curiously. The laws hadn't changed in a thousand years. They were ruled and governed by heartless monsters. She let his last statement hang in the air. They walked in silence stopping occasionally to look at a flower or tree. "These are the most beautiful roses I've ever seen. I stop here every time I come outside"

She was looking at a flower with deep red petals. "I've won prizes for them. I used to take care of them myself, but I don't seem to find the time anymore."

She leaned closer and smelled its fragrance. "They're amazing."

"Has the gardener been putting fresh flowers in your room?" He looked concerned.

"Not these. I've had daisies and tulips and lilies, but not roses."

Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife. "Here," he said as he cut the stem of the one she was smelling. He held it out for her, but she didn't take it. "It's for you."

Slowly her arm reached for it. "Thank you, My Lord."

"Uh uh. No more 'my lords'. It's Jack. I mean it."

Once again she stared at him trying to see if it was a trick. When she didn't say anything he spoke again. "Say it."

"My," she started.

"No," he interrupted, "Jack. Say Jack."

"Oh, no. I can't do that." She backed away wanting to escape from him.

"Sam," he said reaching for her hand before she got too far.

His grip was firm, but somehow gentle at the same time. She kept her eyes to the ground.

"Sam," he repeated. "Say my name." He stepped closer to her, closing the small gap. "I promise, it's ok." When she still didn't respond he lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes. "We can wait out here all day if you like."

It took all her will power to open her mouth, but no sound seemed to come out. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Jack," she whispered.

He looked to the sky and turned around and around.

"What's wrong," she asked fearfully.

"I'm looking to see if the world ended. Nope, we're good." He looked at her again. "See, it's ok." He smiled.

It was the first time she had seen him truly smile. It made her heart beat faster but not because she was scared. She smiled, too. All the fear she had been building up since coming here melted away. They began walking again but he stopped when they came to the bench beneath the biggest tree.

"I know something is still bother you," he said after they sat down.

"It's nothing."

"Liar. Go ahead. Ask."

She took a deep breath wondering if she had a right to ask him anything. "Well, I couldn't help but wonder why you're not married. Men of your position and status are rarely unmarried."

"True, but I'm not your usual kind of guy, am I?"

"No."

He sighed before turning away from her. "I was married. My wife, Sarah, and our son, Charlie, died in childbirth 4 years ago."

"I'm sorry, My…Jack," she caught herself. The name was so foreign to her.

He turned back to her. "I inherited my rank and money from my grandfather. He was a great man. My own father died when I was young and I became the sole heir. Sarah and I were already married when my grandfather died but we had trouble conceiving at first. Her pregnancy was celebrated all over the land. She had a healthy pregnancy but she went into labor early and the mid wife couldn't help them." He shut his eyes tightly trying to avoid her gaze.

"I'm sorry," she repeated as she involuntarily placed a hand over his. He jerked slightly. She pulled away. "My mother died in childbirth, too. I was 3. I don't remember anything about her."

"The lives we've been given are filled with pain and sorrow. But I can't help thinking that everything has happened for a reason. I believe I can do good with what I have. It doesn't have to be as painful for everyone."

Her father had said things like this. He always wanted other people to be happy. It's too bad he failed at making himself happy.

Their dreary mood hung over them as they sat in silence. After a while Teal'C came out to the garden. "Excuse me, My Lord, there is a message for you."

Jack nodded at him. "I guess I'd better get back to work. Despite the end of our conversation I really enjoyed talking to you, Sam. Don't hesitate to tell me if there's anything you need."

Sam nodded. "Thank you."

With that Jack stood and left her with Teal'C.

"Teal'C?"

"Yes?

"What about you?"

"I do not understand your question, Samantha Carter."

She hesitated wondering if she had a right to ask, but she knew she couldn't let it go. "What's your story? Why are you here?"

"I was a servant to Lord Ba'al."

Sam was surprised. This position was considerably lower in status than a servant of Lord Ba'al.

"I was soon to become Lord Ba'al's first prime. However, he gave me a mission to test my loyalty. Ba'al sent me here to Master O'Neill to spy on him. When I arrived and learned of his honorable character I pledged my allegiance to Master O'Neill."

"I don't understand. Wouldn't Lord Ba'al punish you for your betrayal?"

"Indeed he would, if he knew. We have been able to send Lord Ba'al enough believable information to make him think I was still in his service."

"Aren't you afraid that he would find out?"

"It is a concern for me, but Master O'Neill's purpose far outweighs any fear for my own life."

She thought about this as they quietly walked back to her room.


	6. Chapter 6

Here's a little backstory...

* * *

Days later they were sitting in the garden again but this time there was a table with food. Sam still wasn't used to being so familiar with a man that wasn't her father or brother. She had been escorted by one of them any time she went outside their home. Her father was fearful she'd be taken. It didn't matter in the long run. She still ended up living the life he'd fought so hard to avoid.

"So what did you do when you were living with your family?" Jack asked as he reached for a bunch of grapes.

"When I wasn't reading I would help my father. He was a very skilled carpenter. I came up with designs to help him build stronger furniture, wagons, and tools."

"Wow!"

"He'd let me have his scrap pieces and I'd build smaller versions of everything." She fidgeted with edge of the tablecloth.

She didn't notice him staring at her. Her long golden hair blew softly in the breeze and he'd never seen eyes as blue as her's.

"But I preferred reading. Luckily we had a good library and I only read some of our books more than once." She scooped a spoonful of soup but stopped mid air when she saw him looking at her. "What?"

He blushed. "Uh, nothing," he said looking away. "What did your brother do?"

"He was the business side of things. He was good at selling the things my father made and he helped deliver it, too. I had to handle the bookkeeping, though. He was awful at it." She smiled as she remembered how bad his math had been.

Jack loved her smile and wanted to see it more. It made her eyes sparkle and it seemed to make the sadness melt away for just a moment. He knew she had been broken. Her once happy childhood was first stripped when her father got sick, then her brother abandoned her, and finally she'd been thrown into a world of evil where men robbed women of every ounce of humanity. But she wasn't completely broken. Jack knew she was still strong and given the right opportunity she could become amazing.

"Well, you pretty much know my whole story. I've never been anywhere but here and I've never done anything fun. Tell me more about yourself."

"Like what?" he asked.

"Like what you did as a kid, how you got your position, and what made you save all of us?"

"Well, that could take a while."

"Start with your grandfather. I never met mine."

"Yes, I was lucky in that. My grandfather had a small position with the town council, but the Region Chief took notice of him and before long he was the second most important man of this region. He also became the heir. When the Chief died my grandfather took over and built it up to what we have now. I've tried very hard to improve the way of life for everyone, but I also have to stay out of the watchful eye of anyone who can change that."

"That's a heavy burden."

"Yes, but I know it's worth it."

Sam pondered on that. She was liking him more and more.

He continued. "My father died when I was a kid so my grandfather took me under his wing. He taught me everything I know. I was lucky to see many good things this world has. He even taught me how to fly a transporter. When we had nothing important to do we would go all over the world. We would see things hidden from most eyes."

"That sounds wonderful!"

"It was! But, my grandfather died suddenly 10 years ago. Sarah and I got it all and I try to live up to his legacy."

"So, what about all of us?"

"Well, that's not one of my favorite stories, but it is what brought all of us to where we are today. On my first excursion in my new position I was at a party at the home of a wealthy mine owner. I had been to a lot of these parties before, but I was never allowed in the room with the highest ranking leaders. I didn't know the truth of it until after my grandfather died. My new status brought many surprises, the first was the true role of the harem. I was utterly shocked to see what was really going on behind closed doors. It took all of my strength to maintain my composure and act as if I wasn't surprised at all. I couldn't believe the things those men were doing. I nearly lost it when I saw a very young girl brought in. Somehow I managed to make an excuse and go home. After that I made sure to bring Sarah to as many parties as possible. It's customary to refrain from the harem when you're with your wife, but not always. I still had to look like I was a normal Region Chief."

"What did you do?"

"I would ask for a private room with one or two of the women. I'd ask for the ones I thought would be treated the worst and since I usually held the highest position in the room I got whatever I wanted."

"Oh." She looked sad. This was one of the moments she doubted the truth of everything she was told.

"Don't worry, I didn't force them. I also pretended to be very drunk and as soon as things got intense, I would pretend to pass out."

"They bought that?"

"No one ever complained. Slowly I went to fewer parties. Once the more important owners and leaders met me I was able to hide at home. After Sarah died I wanted to make sure I helped everyone I could. Actually, it was at one of these parties that I saw Janet for the first time. She didn't look to be in trouble so I didn't ask for her, but it wasn't very long after that when I heard she was close to dying. Most of the women I've had the longest came from those parties. I think they started an underground way to communicate and knew I'd try to help them."

"Your grandfather didn't have a harem?"

"He did, but I was naïve. I never saw anything inappropriate. I never saw my grandfather do anything and he never said what happened. The biggest shock at that first party was realizing what he'd done. It wasn't until more than a month later that I found out his big secret."

Sam was on the edge of her seat. Their lunch was long forgotten.

"He never forced them, either. I had left his harem alone after he died but one day I had to go in there. They were terrified! I spoke with the Head Lady. She told me everything. My grandfather didn't go as far as rescuing women, but he protected his harem as best as he could. The respect I had lost was restored. Sarah helped me protect them, too. She lost a lot of respect from any men that came because she took the blame. She allowed me to refuse guests to use the harem and let me say that it was her wish. It was a very unpopular wish. That status changed after she died. I no longer had an excuse. I waited a very long time before having any visitors."

She could tell he was hiding something. He probably didn't want her to know what Janet really did for him. She decided it was probably time to change the subject. "I've had roses in my room every day since we were last here," she said nonchalantly. Actually, her room was filled with them the next morning. Their fragrance was intoxicating. "I'm beginning to think you had something to do with that."

"Well, yeah, I uh thought you might like them."

He blushed again.

"I do, thank you, My Lord."

"Sam," he warned.

"Hmm?"

"Did you forget something?"

She got nervous. "I don't know! What did I say?"

"Relax!" He touched her arm. "You said 'my lord'."

Her skin was on fire from his touch. She had to swallow down her nerves. "Oh. Sorry. You've got to realize how hard it is to stop."

He smiled. "Yes, I do. Now, go on, say my name again."

It was her turn to blush. "Jack."

"Good. Seriously, you have no idea how much I hate hearing it, especially from you."

His last phrase struck her. _Why her?_ She realized his hand was still on her arm. She'd never been touched this way. Her father showed some affection to her, but he had rarely touched her. For some reason that arm was immobile but it created a new sensation that she wished would never go away. Her stomach began tightening.

"Sam?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you ok?"

"What do you mean?"

He laughed softly. "You zoned out for a second and it looks like you might have stopped breathing."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah," he nodded.

"Oh! I didn't realize."

He rubbed her arm. "It's alright."

Her breath caught in her throat.

"You did it again."

"Oh!"

He pulled his hand away. "Is it because I touched you?"

She looked away from him. The spot on her arm was instantly cold and she missed his warmth.

"Sam," he said gently. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"You didn't!" She blurted it out and put her hand to her mouth.

"Ugh! Sam, look at me. Tell me what's wrong."

"It's nothing."

"No, it's not. I can tell it bothered you."

She took a deep breath and looked up. "I've never been around anyone like you. Everything is new and different."

"And no one has ever touched you like that?"

She shook her head.

He was silent. She must have been traumatized by every man that had ever touched her. "I don't ever want to make you feel uncomfortable, Sam."

"But, you didn't. I think," she paused, "I think I liked it."

"You did?"

"I know that sounds strange."

"No, it doesn't. After everything you've been through, it's no wonder. Sam…" He held out his hand. She stared at it for a moment contemplating whether or not she should. "It will be ok."

Slowly she placed her hand in his. He placed his other hand on top. "It feels warm and soft." She bit her bottom lip. Jack gently slid his hand up her arm. She closed her eyes. As he got closer to her elbow she flinched, "It tickles."

"I'm sorry," he stopped.

"No," she blurted again. "Don't stop." She opened her eyes and looked into his then quickly looked away.

Jack swallowed hard. His throat was suddenly dry. Her skin was smooth and hot. He was in trouble! "See," he coughed, "it's not so bad." He pulled back from her. "I, uh, I should get back to work." He stood up slowly, afraid that he had lost all ability to function properly. "I'll see you later."

"Um, ok."

Jack gave a nervous nod as he walked inside.


	7. Chapter 7

"Janet, I heard you weren't feeling well," Sam said as she entered her friend's room.

"I'll live, but I do feel pretty bad." She sounded better than she looked. Janet was propped up with a lot of pillows.

"What is it? Can I do anything?" Sam was worried. Janet's face was pale and shining with sweat.

"Influenza." She coughed heavily. As Sam gave her a glass of water she felt Janet's ice cold hands. "You'd better get out. Influenza is highly contagious, but I promise, it's not too bad for me."

She didn't believe her, but she didn't leave right away.

"Is something wrong, Sam?"

"Well, I wanted to ask you something."

"Go ahead but make it quick before you get what I have."

"Alright. Listen, does he spend a lot of time with you and the other girls?"

"Who? Jack?" She smiled weakly. "No. It's just you."

"But why?"

"I think he likes you."

"That's impossible."

Janet's laugh mixed with another cough. "No, it's not."

"What's so special about me?"

"Besides being beautiful, funny, and smart? I'm not sure."

"But," she started.

Just at that moment Jack entered her room through the door that led to the main part of the house. "I heard you were sick."

"Yes, but you don't need to worry about me. I'm being well taken care of by the other women. I want you both to leave."

"I can't just leave you like this," he said.

"Go! I can't put anyone else in danger. Please," she added when they both just stood there.

"My Lord," Teal'C said entering.

Sam noticed a touch of insistence in his voice. Jack walked to his guard and they leaned in close to each other. "Damn!" Jack exclaimed.

"What's wrong," Janet asked.

"It's a message from Tehmot. He is coming here tonight and he's bringing a delegate from the Council."

"No!" Janet cried.

"Tell me about it. This is the worst timing" Jack said.

"Why? What's wrong?" Sam saw their concerned faces and how they glanced at each other when she asked.

"I think you can tell her," said Janet. "She pretty much knows all about me."

Now Sam was curious.

Jack sighed deeply. "First off, Lord Tehmot has never come here. He's the governor of the Mountain Colony."

"Oh my!"

"You can say that again. Second, he's bringing a powerful representative of Lord Ba'al himself."

"But why?"

"Because I am the Region Chief, the highest position in the largest region of the Mountain Colony. Tehmot was given this colony only 2 years ago. He usually spends his time gambling with the other governors. Ba'al probably wants a report on everything and I'm the first on the list."

"But it's not about who is coming," Janet said worried.

"Third," Jack continued, "normally Janet helps me entertain guests." He avoided looking at either of them.

It took Sam a little while to understand what he meant. Janet had told her once that she always took care of his guests' _needs_.

"This is an important visit and they're going to expect to be offered their pick at my harem. I don't know what I'll do. No one this important has come here."

"What happens if you don't offer?" Sam asked. She was ignorant in matters of politics.

"Jack could lose everything," Janet said sadly.

"I'd better go and make sure the house is ready for tonight." Jack looked scared. He and Teal'C left the 2 women alone.

"What do you mean, Janet?"

"Jack works very hard to make sure his region is as peaceful as possible without arousing any suspicions. Most regions are filled with violence and disorder. His mines are probably the most fruitful in the world. His workers are happy and happy workers produce more. If Jack loses his position then we're all doomed. _Everything_ he owns will be given to someone else. Someone who won't be so nice."

Sam's hand flew to her mouth and she gasped. Her new home had been the best place she'd ever lived. She didn't want to lose it.

Janet did her best to tell Sam it would be ok, but neither of them believed it. It was common knowledge that hosts shared their harem as if they were common colds. Some get offended when they don't get their share of every girl in the room.

Sam sat in her room wondering what she was going to do. Should she start plotting her escape now? It would mean death if she were caught. The laws were plain on that regard. She'd tried it but even one more attempt would seal her fate. If only Janet wasn't sick, she thought. But it would probably seem unusual that one girl be offered and not more especially since there would be another guest. Suddenly Sam thought of something. She ran from her room with Teal'C not far behind in search of Jack. She found him in the dining hall checking that the details were perfect.

"My Lord!" she yelled without thinking. Her voice echoed in the large room. She stopped suddenly realizing her outburst. Other masters would beat her for that. The servants setting the table froze in place, their forks or plates hovering in the air. "Sorry!"

"No, it's alright. Is something wrong?" He threw down a stack of papers and walked toward her."

"Uh, no." She began to fidget. "It's just, um, I had an idea."

"About what?"

Sam looked around the room nervously.

"Sam, it's ok. Tell me," he assured her.

"I thought I might be able to help with your problem for tonight."

"That's very nice of you, but I don't think I have any hope of successfully pulling off a diplomatic visit and keeping my job. I just plan on going out with a bang."

"But I have an idea and I think it just might work."

"Well, I guess it won't hurt to hear it."

She took a long, deep breath trying to gather her courage. "I'll do it."

He looked at her strangely. "Do what? What do you mean?"

"I'll take Janet's place."

He smiled gently. "That's very thoughtful, really. But it's not enough. They'll be expecting everyone and if I don't produce them then it's all over."

"Tell them they've all been exposed to Janet's influenza."

"And what about you?"

"I figure I can be a kind of compromise. Offer me. Tell them I'm too new, that I've been in your presence the entire time and I haven't been exposed."

"Sam," he said sadly, "I can't do that to you."

"Jack, let me help you. I know you think it's terrible to let them have their way with us, but think about it. If you lose your job, then they'll do far worse when you're gone."

He stared at her in disbelief. He'd never been more enchanted by a woman. Here she was offering herself up as a sacrifice to save everybody in his region. "I can't let you do that."

"Would you have a problem letting Janet do it?"

He sighed and she knew his answer. "I have to admit it's a good idea. But will it be enough? Will they buy it?"

"There's only one way to find out." She said.

"But Sam, they're going to want to do some crazy things. I can't protect you, I can't help you!"

She appreciated his apprehension. "Believe me, I know." Memories of her life in slavery flooded her mind.

"What do you think, Teal'C?"

He stood there for a moment before answering. "It may be wise to accept her offer."

"Please, let me help." She waited nervously, though neither outcome would be perfect.

Jack growled, frustrated. "Fine! But I don't like it one bit."


	8. Chapter 8

Sorry for the delay! Happy 4th of July!

* * *

Not 2 hours after they received the message from their visitors Teal'C entered the library. "My Lord, they are here."

Jack jumped to his feet. "Right, let's go." They rushed outside to meet them. Lined up by the door were his servants. When the transport landed Jack quickly went to the door.

"Lord Lantash of the Council and Lord Tehmot of The Mountain Colony!" Announced a servant.

"My Lords, I am most honored to be in your presence." He quickly went to one knee.

"I am anxious to see what I've heard so much about," Lord Lantash said as he walked past Jack and into the house.

Jack stood and followed him in. "A tour has been planned for tomorrow, My Lord. We've prepared our finest rooms for you. Allow me to show you."

Lantash grunted his approval.

"Well, that was fun. I can't wait for tonight!" Jack had escorted his guests and their entourage to their rooms and came back to his room. "Teal'C have we made the right choice? I'm worried about Sam."

"I believe you have, My Lord. Lantash and Tehmot did not bring anyone that is privileged to sit at your table tonight."

"So, we only have to worry about the 2 most important people to ever step foot in my house. Have you ever heard of Lantash?"

"I have."

"Do you know what kind of master he is?"

"I do not. He was not a member of Ba'al's council when I left his service."

"Great! The only thing I've heard about Tehmot is that he's extremely selfish and arrogant."

"What goa'uld is not?"

"You have a point there. Is Sam ok?"

"She has begun preparations for this evening."

"I just hope this goes well."

Sam had just stepped out of her bath when a few of the women came in. They brought scented oils, lavish clothes, and every thing she'd need in order to try to impress Jack's visitors. "It's wonderful what you're doing for us." Sam turned to where the quiet voice came from. It was Amanda, one of the younger girls in Jack's harem. Sam had learned that she was rescued with her mother when Amanda was only 12. Her mother died a few years before. Now she was 16 and the best hair stylist Sam had ever seen. She would be sold for top dollar if this went badly. Sometimes, youth, innocence, and beauty were a bad mix.

"I couldn't let us go down without a fight," Sam said.

"We all appreciate what you're doing," another woman said. "We were all very scared when we heard who was coming. There's still a chance they'll come looking for us and demand their fair share."

"Then I suggest you all get busy looking as sickly and undesirable as you can."

"It's not a bad idea. I'll have Suzie help. She used to work in a hospital."

Tehmot sat lazily in the large chair at the table. He had a glass of wine in one hand and a turkey leg in the other. "These creatures always taste delectable! I have had them many times since coming to Earth, but I believe this is one is the finest." He was a plump man and not all good to look at. His dress robes were a sickly green decorated with yellow ribbons and leaves embroidered with gold threads.

Lantash was the pure definition of a contrast. His robes were a beautiful hue of blue adorned with jewels. He was tall and thin. His blue eyes were sparkling and even Jack had to admit that they were mesmerizing. Lantash eyed Tehmot. Jack thought there was a slight hint of disgust in his eyes.

"I have heard many things about you since you became Region Chief. What makes your mines so lucrative?" Lantash leaned closer to Jack.

Jack pulled out his red and purple dinner robes once a year when he hosted his obligatory party for his most wealthy citizens. Tonight he struggled to hide his discomfort in front of his special guests. "My Lord, as you'll see tomorrow, there's a fine balance between my workers' well being and their productivity."

"Well being? A slave's well being is pointless. They love to serve their gods and masters!" Tehmot spit out.

Lantash ignored what he had said and turned to Jack. "I see. How many mines do you have?"

"We have over 2 hundred mines. Most of those are manned by one or two but the largest mine requires hundreds of workers."

"I am anxious to see the largest. I hear it is exquisite."

"Yes, My Lord. A very large ruby was found last year. We've been able to find many more in the same area."

"And what of your factories?" Tehmot asked.

"We produce the finest silks in a thousand miles."

Lantash's eyes lit up and suddenly became serious again. "My mate has many of them. She expects me to bring her more."

"It sounds like your mate rules your home," Tehmot uttered.

The disgust on Lantash's face was more apparent. "My mate deserves the best and she will have it."

Jack watched the exchange between the two. He knew they didn't like each other. It made him nervous about tomorrow.

Tehmot grunted. "O'Neill, when will you bring out the girls? I grow tired of this."

Jack nodded towards Teal'C who was standing in the corner. As Teal'C left the room Jack stood. "My Lords, I'm afraid I have some bad news." Teal'C returned with Sam. He couldn't move. She was breathtaking. Sam had a top that was held up by a thin string over her neck and around her back. It barely covered her breasts. Her stomach was bare and a long, red silk cloth hung low on her hips with a slit cut from top to bottom. Her hair was braided and draped over one side. She had highlighted her blue eyes in gold powder. She was radiant. Jack was flabbergasted.

When he finally regained his composure he continued. "My whole harem has been exposed to influenza."

"What?" Tehmot stood clumsily.

"Silence!" Lantash roared. "Go on."

"My Lords, I am afraid I only have one woman to offer you. She is new to my harem and has remained separated from the others. She has not been exposed." Jack forced himself to look away from her.

"At least she isn't hideous." Tehmot's eyes grew lustful. "I believe I can be satisfied with her." Crumbs of food fell as he dusted his robes.

"No."

Jack turned to Lantash. "My Lord?"

"I want her."

"Lord Lantash, I wish to partake!" Tehmot wailed.

"I said silence!" he boomed. "I will have her to myself. You may have the woman I brought if you are so lonely," he snapped. Lantash walked towards Sam. He circled around, inspecting every inch of her. "O'Neill, this is the finest woman I have ever been offered. You have truly upheld your reputation for merchandise!" He skimmed a finger across her exposed mounds. "Yes, I will thoroughly enjoy you." He turned to Jack. "Bring her to my room."

"Yes, My Lord." Jack, Teal'C and Sam waited for Lantash and Tehmot to go back to their rooms. Jack released a big breath. He still couldn't look at her directly. "Sam, you can still back out."

She shook her head. "No, I can't."

"Ok. I can't stop you. Just remember that we can't help you if anything goes wrong."

"I know. At least there's only one now."

"That doesn't mean it will be pleasant."

Sam shrugged. "Is it ever?"

Jack looked at her sadly. "You'd better go." They walked silently to Lantash's room. "Are you sure?" he asked again.

Sam smiled. "Yes, Jack," she said calmly. "I'll be ok." She reached for the knob.

"Sam, wait." He cleared his throat. "I just wanted to say that you look incredible!"

She blushed, smiled, and then went in.

"My Lord, I have something for you," Teal'C said with a glint in his eyes.

Jack looked at Teal'C perplexed but followed him down the hall. Teal'C stopped in front of a table full of decorations. "What?"

Wordlessly, Teal'C removed a painting above the table. There was a hole drilled in the wall. At first Jack didn't understand but suddenly it dawned on him. He looked through the hole and could see most of the room inside. "Teal'C! You're amazing! What would I ever do without you?"

Sam stood straight and tall in the doorway, Lantash stood on the other side of the room.

"Ah, you're here. Good. Come."

Silently, she obeyed. The room was larger than her own, but that was expected for guests representing Lord Ba'al. As she made her way toward him she noticed he had changed from his elegant dinner robes to a pair of pants, but his chest remained bare. His muscles were firm and sharp and perfectly contoured. He was tall and thin like a statue. She stopped a few feet in front of him.

He simply looked her up and down again. "You have the privilege of serving me tonight. How do you feel about that?"

Sam looked up at him through her lashes. It was the first time she saw his eyes up close. They were strikingly beautiful. "My Lord, it would be my honor to serve you." She did her best to be sincere. She wanted him to be pleased with her and she needed him to go back to Ba'al with a good report about Jack's region. She needed to save Jack.

"Your honor? Really? Have you ever served a man of my status?"

"No, my Lord. I am truly honored to have the opportunity to pleasure you."

"I see." He stepped closer to her. "You are quite beautiful. What is your name?"

"Samantha, my Lord."

"Lovely." He circled around her. "How long have you been in the service of O'Neill?"

"2 months, my Lord."

"And how do you like it?"

"It is wonderful, my Lord." He was making her nervous, but she stayed firm.

"Does your master treat you well?" He stood directly in front of her.

She made eye contact with him. "My Lord, my master is the most incredible man. I am fortunate to be here."

He grunted and walked to a table with a box sitting on it. He opened it and pulled a long knife out of it. Suddenly, Sam was worried.

Jack reached out and blindly grabbed Teal'C's arm.

"I'd like to see just how incredible your master is. You may be wearing very little, Samantha, but I'd like to see more." He moved back to her and without waiting a moment reached out and cut the strings holding her top up.

"I can't watch, Teal'C." Jack stepped back.

Teal'C took his place.

Lantash yanked the rest of the top away from her. "Very nice!" He grabbed the thin fabric covering her bottom half and sliced it off. It floated to the floor leaving Sam completely exposed. "The body of a slave can tell you everything about their master. But in my experience there is always something hiding beneath the surface." Lantash returned to the table with the box. When he turned around he had something on his hand.

"He has a kara kesh! A ribbon device!"

Jack heard the fear in his guard's voice. "Let me see!" The two men switched places again. Jack saw an ornate bracelet on Lantash's hand. Gold tips covered his fingers and there was a red gem in his palm. "What does it do?"

"It is a device with many purposes, none of which are good. I have only seen it used for torture. It is rumored to have been how Lord Ba'al killed Ra!"

Jack growled. "T!"

Lantash walked back to Sam. "You will reveal the truth to me, Samantha."

"My Lord, I have told the truth." She did everything she could to stand strong and fearless but she was terrified. He held his hand up to her face. A bright light shot from his palm. She didn't know what to expect. But nothing that looked like this could possibly be good. She braced herself for pain, but it didn't come. She did, however, feel her body tingling from head to toe. Time stood still for her. She couldn't move.

"You may go. Tell your master I am pleased with his offering."

Numbly she moved toward the door.

"Samantha."

She turned back to him.

"Here, put this on." He grabbed a robe that was draped over a chair and handed it to her. She took it, then backed away from him.

Jack ran to Sam, but Teal'C remained at the hole. What he saw next was unexpected. Sam had barely left the room when a woman entered it. She was dressed as a concubine, but acted much differently.

"I have taken care of Tehmot," she said.

"That fool!" His voice changed from the deep, booming voice of a Goa'uld to that of a normal man. "He will be removed from his position shortly. Ba'al may be the most selfish Goa'uld of them all, but he does not like it when his contingents are slothful. Was it difficult to subdue him?"

"No, he took the wine without question."

"Excellent."

"What did you learn of O'Neill?"

"I can see why Ba'al wanted me to assess him. He is unlike every other Region Chief on Earth."

"How?"

"Well, he only had one woman to offer. A man of his status should have well over a hundred women, especially when someone like me pays a visit."

"Just one?" she was astounded.

"Yes, he said the others were exposed to influenza."

"Do you believe him?"

"No. But Tehmot did. It doesn't matter to me, you know that." Lantash walked to the woman and put his arms around her. "This was the easiest visit, yet. Something else was unusual. The woman he offered didn't have a mark on her." He caressed her back.

The woman embraced him. "She was innocent?"

"No, I could tell she had gone through training, but she showed no signs of recent service. So I decided to investigate further. I used the ribbon device. She revealed many things."

"Interesting. What did you see?"

"I believe O'Neill is part of the resistance."

She gasped. "Are you sure?"

"I will be tomorrow. The tour will show me everything I need to know. Now, Rosha, I believe I promised a handsome reward if you succeeded tonight." He pulled her closer to him.

She raised her hands to his hair. "I hope you expected nothing less than success, Martouf."

"I had full faith in you, my love." He leaned in to kiss her. She closed her eyes when their lips met.

Teal'C stepped away from the hole. Jack needed to know what he discovered.

"Sam, what happened?" He brought her back to her room.

"I'm not sure. One minute I was standing in his room and the next thing I know I'm in the hallway with you."

Gently he patted her head and shoulders. "Are you hurt?"

"No, I don't think so."

He threw his arms around her. "Oh, good! Uh, I mean, I was worried about you." He pulled back but didn't let her go.

Sam felt her stomach tighten. His embrace warmed her whole body. She felt safe with him, like the two of them could hide from the whole world. Slowly, Sam lifted her arms and wrapped them around his back. She could feel the heat coming from him. Jack had a way of making her feel new and exciting things.

"Sam…I," Jack raised a hand and gently cupped her face. She closed her eyes and tilted her head relishing the touch. "You've reminded me of what it's like to feel real happiness." She opened her eyes. "I'll never be able to thank you for your bravery tonight. You have no idea how much it means to me." Her heart leaped within her chest. He was leaning closer to her. "I think about you night and day! I can hardly get anything done. When I'm not with you I long for the moment when we can be together again." He was so close their noses touched. Then he tilted his head to the side. Jack slid his hand behind her head and pulled her in.

As their lips touched Sam's heart stopped. She couldn't breathe. It was the most wonderful thing she had felt. She decided she could stay just like this forever. She glided her hands up his back. He drew her waist into him.

Somewhere in the distance they heard a knocking sound. It got louder. "Samantha Carter!" It was Teal'C. They pulled away from each other.

"Come in," her voice was raspy. She took a step back as Teal'C entered.

"I am looking for…Oh, you are here! My Lord, I must speak with you."

"Can it wait until morning, Teal'C?" Jack could always count on Teal'C's ability to read Jack's mind.

"I suppose, My Lord, but it is important."

"We'll talk first thing in the morning."

"Yes, my Lord." Teal'C left the two of them alone again.

"Shouldn't you see what that's about?" she asked apprehensively.

"No, he knows how to tell me if it's urgent or not. Important doesn't always mean urgent. Besides, I don't know if I can handle anything else tonight. I'm exhausted."

"Oh." She looked disappointed.

"I just meant mentally. It's been a long day."

"Yes, I know." She still seemed sad.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I've made you upset again. Maybe I should go." Jack gave her one last look and walked toward the door.

Sam instantly felt the void he created. He had said the most wonderful things to her. "Jack! Wait!" she yelled just as he reached the door. She crossed the room as he turned around. Sam took a breath and removed her robe. "Stay with me tonight," she whispered.


	9. Chapter 9

"Stay with me tonight."

An invisible force pushed him to her. His arms wrapped around her and before he knew what was happening his lips were pressed to hers.

Sam had never felt the sensations she was feeling now. Her stomach was in knots and she was feeling light headed. An involuntary moan escaped her.

Jack pulled back. "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

"No, I…I think I liked it." She blushed.

He smiled, "Come over here." He took her to the couch and covered her with a blanket. "Sam, you have no idea how much I want you right now, but I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to make you remember what you've gone through."

"Jack, thank you for trying to protect me but, it's ok! I want to be with you."

He shook his head. "No, I couldn't do that to you."

Sam paused, took a deep breath, and smiled. She stuck her hand out of the blanket and took Jack's. "I know you're different."

He waited a moment before going on. "Sam, you're incredible. You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen and you're the bravest woman I've ever known. And I care about you too much to make you feel like that again."

"I talked to Janet," she blurted. She cleared her throat. "I mean, she told me it can be…good." Embarrassed, she looked down.

"I know. She told me that she talked to you. She's right. It can be amazing when you're with someone you love. Those 'men' take something wonderful and twist it into something repulsive. Janet and I were lucky to have been able to experience that." He saw her face scrunch up. "What?"

She hesitated, but then asked, "Do you love Janet?"

"No."

"I saw you with her."

"And you think I'm no better than the men that force you?"

She sighed. "I'm not sure what to think, sometimes. I didn't know much about men before being sold and the only thing I've been taught was that my body was for their pleasure."

Jack's heart ached for her. He lifted her chin to look at her. "Sam, I don't force Janet to be with me. Sometimes we miss what it was like to be with someone special. Sometimes we need to remember what we are and that we're not mindless slaves. We are people that have feelings and desires and passions. Making love is the most special and precious thing that two people can do to show each other how they feel."

"Jack," she whispered as a tear dropped down her cheek. "I don't know what love feels like, but when I'm with you I feel I'm floating. I've never been so happy. Janet said our bodies were supposed to be felt and touched and that being with a man could feel amazing. Make me feel that way. Please." She had reached up and was touching his cheek.

He had to swallow a hard lump in his throat. "You sure make it difficult to say no. Are you sure you want this?"

"Yes."

"Ok. But I have a condition."

Sam was perplexed.

"I want you to be in control. You call all the shots."

"What do you mean?"

"I want you to do what you want and however you want to do it."

"I don't know how to do that."

"Just listen to your body and do what feels good for you. Don't worry about making me like it."

"I wouldn't even know where to start."

"Well, was there anything that felt good…before?"

"No. I tried to not think about what was happening."

"What about what Janet did?"

"You know about that?"

"Yes. She told me you saw us together and I made her tell me everything. Did you like what she did?"

Sam blushed again. "Yes. I've never felt so good."

"You can feel that way again and again."

"Will you help me?"

He smiled. "You betcha. Let's kiss some more. Try to focus on what you're feeling." Sam nodded. Jack put his arm behind her and gently pulled her closer. "Ready?" She nodded again. "Remember, if it doesn't feel good then stop. Do something differently." Jack leaned in and waited for Sam to fill in the gap.

She bit her lower lip then leaned in until their lips met. Feeling his soft warm lips on hers was wonderful! The kiss they had shared before was nice, but this was better. She could feel their fullness like they were meant to be pressed to hers. He parted his lips slightly giving her a new sensation. A quiet moan came from deep within her chest.

Since she didn't pull back when she moaned Jack took it as a good sign that she was enjoying their kiss. He put one hand behind her head and brought her closer. He felt one of her hands on his knee. It took all of his will power to stay where he was.

Sam hummed before releasing their lips.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"No," she smiled, "I really liked it. I was just wondering if there was a way to be closer to you."

"Well, yeah! We can get on the bed or if you're not ready for that, you can get on me."

She thought about it for a minute then said, "I'd like to stay here for now, but will you take some of that off?"

"I thought you'd never ask." Jack stood and removed layer after layer of his dress robes but carefully draped them over a chair at her table. He stopped when he only had a thin pair of pants on. He was grateful to be rid of his cumbersome attire but he suddenly felt a little bashful without a top. He did his best to hide his shyness and remain manly in front of her.

She watched him remove his clothes like he was her personal bit of entertainment. It reminded her of all the times men made her take her clothes off. It made her sad for a moment and she was ashamed of herself for making him do exactly what she hated to do. "I'm sorry, Jack. I…"

"No," he said sitting back down next to her. "I hate those clothes. I would burn those but then I'd have to buy more. They're uncomfortable, but I like their colors. Now, where were we?"

"Maybe we should stop."

"Sam," he said deeply, "I don't want to stop but if you do I'll just go back to my room."

She looked at him trying to gauge whether or not he was disappointed. His face was blank, but calm. "I'd like to keep going."

"Oh good! I was really enjoying kissing you." She smiled. "No, really!"

She bit her lip again then surprised herself when she threw off the blanket, got up and straddled his lap. Jack gasped in surprise, but smiled as she settled down. "Is this ok?" He couldn't utter a coherent sound so he merely nodded. Sam took his hands and placed them on her thighs. He swallowed another lump in his throat. "Your hands are warm. They feel good."

"Your skin is so soft, Sam." He slid his hand up and down a little not wanting to push it too far.

"What should I do now?"

"Uh, you could kiss me some more. Or you can move your hips around a bit." He slid one hand closer to her center. "Can I show you something?" She nodded timidly. "Janet explained about a sensitive spot you have here, didn't she?" He gently grazed his thumb over her folds. She flinched at his touch. Jack groaned. "You're so wet already." He cleared his throat then continued, "If you move your hips the right way you can have some of those same feelings you had when you were with Janet."

Sam placed her hands on Jack's shoulders and slowly moved her hips back and forth once pushing herself against his hand. It sent small sensations through her stomach.

"This position is great for you because you can control everything. And it leaves me at your mercy." He put his hand back on her thigh. "What do you want to do next?"

"I want you to touch me. Everywhere, just like this." She put her hands over his and gently guided them to her hips and up her back. She closed her eyes as he continued. "I like that." When he brought them back down to her hips she felt him shift beneath her. "Am I hurting you?"

"Absolutely not! It's just that I needed to make myself more comfortable." He looked her in the eyes. "Sam, touching you is incredible! It's causing things to happen."

"I can feel it. I think it's happening to me, too."

Jack smiled. Sam guided his hands up her stomach and they both held their breath as she moved them further up. She quietly yelped when his hands brushed her nipples. She squeezed his hand and they both groaned with pleasure. She felt him harden beneath her. Without thinking Sam leaned forward and captured Jack's lips with her own. She didn't realize how much she missed them. Her body started reacting to him. She felt the desire build inside of her.

"Jack," she pulled away.

"Hmm?"

"I'm ready. I want to feel you." She ground her hips into him.

"Oh, Sam! Don't do that unless you're serious."

She ground into him again. "I am, Jack."

He took a breath and reached for her face. "Sam, are you…?"

"Yes," she stopped him.

He laughed. "Ok! It would be impossible to resist you right now, anyway."

She kissed him again. "You need to take your pants off." She ignored the smirk he gave her and got up to let him take them off. As he stood there in all his glory, she couldn't help but stare at his naked form. He was the most striking man she'd ever seen. The butterflies in her stomach were in full swing, but it wasn't because of nerves. She was excited. She couldn't remember the last time she was excited about anything. Sam reached for him. She felt his chest. His heart was pounding so hard she thought it might just pop out.

"Come here," he said closing the gap between them. Jack wrapped his arms around her once again enveloping her.

She felt him against her lower stomach. It made her even crazier for him. Her lips seized his in a fiery kiss. When he parted his lips again she dipped her tongue in to taste him for the first time. She never knew it could make her even more excited. She moaned again when his hand slid lower and lower.

Jack's will power was being pushed to the limits but he wanted to let her take the lead. He wanted Sam to experience all the pleasures that a happy life had to offer.

She took a step forward pushing him back toward the couch. Awkwardly they kissed as he sat down and she placed her legs on either side of him. Sam reached down to gently take him in her hand. He held his breath in anticipation. Softly Sam stroked him. She could sense a change in the air around them. She'd never felt the desire for a man like she did now. Sam took a deep breath and lowered herself until he was at her opening. She looked deep into his eyes, released her breath, and guided him into her.

Jack held onto her thighs to keep from exploding. He nearly lost all control when she stopped halfway, lifted back up, and then took him all in. Sam waited until she saw that Jack recovered then she slowly began rocking her hips.

It was slow, beautiful, wonderful. Their bodies moved as if they'd meant to be one. Sam had felt things she'd never experienced before. It felt as though time had stopped for them. As Jack went over the edge he'd whispered her name so lovingly Sam joined him on the euphoric journey.

"Well, I'm ok, now," she said as she lay comfortably wrapped in his body.

"You don't understand, he did something to you. He had a ribbon device."

"What's that?"

"Teal'C says it's a device for torture."

"But nothing hurts. Maybe he's wrong?"

"Highly doubtful."

"Well, I can't remember anything after he cut my clothes off. Maybe it made me forget. Wait, how did you know what he had?"

"Well, Teal'C and I were watching."

"How?"

"He cut a hole in the wall. Brilliant idea, actually."


	10. Chapter 10

Sorry I forgot to upload last week's chapter! Here's a second one for your patience!

* * *

"Janet?" Sam whispered excitedly. She poked her head through the door. Janet's room was dark, even though the sun had come up and it was getting late.

"Hmm?" Came the reply.

"Are you awake?" Sam had woken up later than usual and she tried to wait for her friend, but she couldn't wait any more.

"No, but I should be." Sam heard rustling and could tell Janet was sitting up. "Could you ask someone to bring some food?"

"Of course." Sam went right to the kitchen instead of waiting for someone else to do it.

"It's good to hear she's eating. It means she's getting better!" The cook handed her a tray with a light breakfast.

When Sam returned to Janet's room her curtains had been opened and Janet was sitting in the warm sunlight. "You look better!"

"Besides being hungry, I do feel better even though I had a rough night."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

Janet went straight for a cup of tea. "That is so delicious!" She took a few bites of her toast before saying, "I know you're dying to tell me what happened last night!"

"I am!" She was almost jumping out of her chair.

Janet giggled. "Ok, I'm all ears! Spill!"

While Janet ate, Sam told her everything that had happened after they heard Jack would have visitors up until Jack walked her back to her room. "That's the most incredible story I've ever heard!"

"I couldn't believe it myself! But," she paused, "it's not even the best part!"

"There's more?"

Sam nodded. "I asked Jack to stay with me last night."

"So, what happened?"

Sam sighed reliving a sliver of her night with Jack. "It was amazing! I was so scared at first, but he was patient with me. I can't believe how wonderful it felt! We fell asleep in each other's arms, but he was gone when I woke up."

"He probably had to give the Governor and Councilman a tour of his land." Janet stopped and looked at Sam. "Sam?"

"Hmm?"

"You kinda zoned out!"

"Oh! I'm sorry! I was just…"

"Yeah, I know!" Janet's smile said it all. She had once been happily married and got to experience the same feelings that Sam now felt. And even though she enjoyed being with Jack, Janet knew she was missing the secret ingredient that made all the difference. "Sam, honey, I think you're in love with Jack."

"What? No! I don't even know what that means."

"Sam," she said. "Yes you do. You're smarter than that. Now, I'm going to send you back to your room and I'm going to take a much needed bath. I'm still sick, but I am feeling much better. We can talk about this later. Go think about things for a while."

She wasn't sure how she had made it back to her room. The word love had shaken Sam. Was it true? Did she love Jack? It didn't really matter. If Jack didn't love her then what difference did it make? Now Sam felt like a fool.

Jack led Lantash, Tehmot, and Teal'C through his largest mine first. Teal'C made sure to stay close to Tehmot and did his best to keep him from doing anything suspicious. Lantash listened to Jack intently.

"Over in this corner is where the largest ruby was found. We focused on the area for quite some time, but nothing even remotely close was found. In general, this mine has produced the best of our treasures."

"It is quite impressive, O'Neill. I wish to speak to your oldest serving man."

"Of course. I will have him brought immediately." Jack nodded to Teal'C. "Bring George to the tent outside. We will wait somewhere more comfortable."

As they sipped their cool drinks a balding man entered their tent and knelt at the entrance. "My Lord, you wish to see me?"

"George, this is Lord Lantash of the Council and Governor Tehmot of the Mountain Colony. They want to speak to you." Jack watched as Lantash stood and walked to George. He noticed that Tehmot continued to sit and ignored the other man.

"Stand," Lantash commanded.

George obeyed but kept his head down. He was filthy from years of working deep under ground, but there was still pride in his stance.

"How long have you worked in this mine?"

George cleared his throat. "My Lord, I have worked in this mine since I was a young boy."

"How many masters have you served?"

Jack thought this was an odd question, but didn't say anything.

"I have had 3 masters, My Lord."

"Tell me about them."

The older man hesitated. He wanted to sneak a look at Jack for approval, but knew that would be a bad idea. "My Lord, I have served Master Jack for nearly 10 years, his grandfather was my master for 20 years, and his great grandfather was my master for only 2."

"How would you describe each of them?"

A layer of sweat began beading on his forehead. "My Lord?"

"I want to know how each was different from the other." Lantash was beginning to sound upset.

George thought quickly. "My Lord, when I was a boy I never saw my master. I was commanded to stay out of the way if he ever came to the mines. Master O'Neill was a hard worker. He brought this mine to full operation in only 3 years. He knew this would be the most profitable."

"And now?"

George swallowed hard. "Master Jack is the best of them all."

"How so?"

George proudly looked up at Jack. "He treats us well, My Lord. We are well fed, he brings doctors when we need one, and he knows us."

"Are you trying to be deceptive?"

"No, My Lord."

"Anyone would say these things to please their master or for fear of a beating for telling the truth."

George looked at Lantash. Teal'C thought he saw a trace of anger in the man's face. "No, Lord Lantash. Master Jack is a wonderful master."

This declaration brought Tehmot's attention away from the cake he was devouring. "They all lie to please their masters in front of us."

Lantash ignored the gluttonous man again. "Very well. You may go."

George bowed to Lantash and Jack, and both men noticed he didn't bow to Tehmot.

"O'Neill, I wish to see your silk factory. Is it far?"

"No more than a hop over the mountain, Lord Lantash."

Tehmot groaned as he stood. "Excellent, I tire of this filth."

Lantash glanced at Jack and Jack thought he saw a hint of loathing in his eyes. The men boarded the transport ship and went to the other side of the mountain. In the air Jack pointed out the fields where they grew the necessary plants to feed their silk worms. The rows were perfectly lined up and the buildings that housed the worms were evenly placed between them.

"Who built these?" Lantash asked.

"I did, My Lord. I discovered a lack of fine silk and studied everything I could find. I am most proud of the factories."

Lantash was impressed with the obvious delight in Jack's voice. He judged men by the things they did and by what they were proud of.

On their tour of the factories, Jack answered all their questions. He showed them his distribution warehouses, as well. They were perfectly organized. Tehmot complained incessantly while Lantash chose silks for his mate.

The transport ship brought them back to Jack's house and Lantash and Tehmot began their departure.

"I am highly impressed with your region, O'Neill. I will have nothing but good to report back to Lord Ba'al. I am confident he will want you to share your knowledge with the other region chiefs of this world."

"Thank you, Lord Lantash. It is my honor to serve Lord Ba'al."


	11. Chapter 11

"Sam!" Jack entered her room with an extra bounce in his step. She was reading a book on the couch. It was the same couch they had been on the night before. Jack thought about how wonderful it had all been, but waking up with Sam in his arms was the highlight of the evening. Teal'C interrupted his quiet adoration of her when he came in to get him ready for the big day.

She couldn't hold back the smile as it spread across her face. "Jack! How did everything go?"

"Just peachy! I impressed Lantash and he wants to tell Ba'al about how amazing I am." He grinned.

"I hope so!"

His grin faded. "Yeah, well, I'm not so sure that's a good idea."

"You don't want to draw too much attention to yourself." It wasn't a question.

"Nope. He might notice a few things are different here than on the rest of the planet." He walked closer to her. "How are you?" He made a feeble attempt at trying to ask this casually, but knew he couldn't hide his excitement at seeing her again.

She blushed and said, "I'm…good."

"Are you hungry? We could get dinner…", he paused, "or something else." He really didn't want to make it obvious that he wanted to be with her again, but her presence made him hopelessly pitiful.

Sam's heart was beating wildly in her chest. "I'd really like that."

He gave her a goofy look. "Which part?"

She looked down bashfully, "something."

Jack sat down next to her on the couch feeling like he would burst with anticipation. He reached for her hand which she gladly gave. "I missed you."

"I'm sure you were far too busy for that."

"No, I had so much trouble focusing Teal'C had to nudge me more than once to help keep my attention on what we were doing."

She blushed again. "I missed you, too."

"I'm sorry you had to wake up alone, but I couldn't bring myself to disturb you when I had to get up. You looked so peaceful."

Her smile was all the forgiveness he needed. "It was a wonderful night."

Jack brought his hand up to her cheek. "You can have as many wonderful nights as you'd like." His eyes grew darker and he licked his lips.

She allowed him to bring her closer and saw that his eyes had dropped to her lips. The all too familiar flutters intensified within her. His kiss was delicate as it traveled along her jaw bone. When he gently nibbled on her ear she moaned. She never knew something so simple could make her feel so incredible. He continued down her neck briefly stopping where her pulse was throbbing madly. "Sam," he whispered. The warm breath against her sensitive skin caused her to shiver. "Sam," he said again slightly louder.

She opened her eyes suddenly realizing he had stopped his tender ministrations.

Jack gazed into her eyes. She was so beautiful. "I just want you to know how much I care about you."

"You told me last night." Her eyes shined with innocence.

"No. I mean, I want you to know that I love you."

Sam's mouth instantly felt dry. She had to force herself to close her gaping mouth. "You do?"

Jack nodded. "Saving you was the best decision I've made in a very long time. I can't imagine my life without you in it." He smiled. "I know all of this is new to you. You've been through a terrible ordeal that destroyed your trust in men. But please believe me that I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you by my side." He let her contemplate what he'd said.

After a few moments she looked into his eyes. "I don't know what to say."

"Just tell me how you feel."

"I have so many feelings. I've never experienced them. I don't know what they mean."

"Are you happy here?" He was slightly afraid she might say no.

"Yes, of course! This is the most wonderful home I've ever been in. I've never been treated so kindly in my life! I want to stay here forever!" She became embarrassed by her admission. She never realized exactly how she felt until the words came out of her mouth.

He took a moment to work up his courage. "And what about me? Do I make you happy, too?"

"Jack…you're the most wonderful man I've ever met. I owe you my life. When I'm around you I feel as though I'm flying! When you touch me I'm breathless. I think about you all the time." She paused. "I don't know what love is, but if it's anything like how I feel when I'm with you then I want it."

His heart stopped. He wanted to shout for joy! "Sam, I don't expect an answer right now. In fact, I want you to think about what I'm about to ask you. I want you to be certain without a shadow of a doubt." She nodded. "Sam, will you marry me?"

Her breath caught in her throat and her eyes grew wide.

"Did I scare you?" He asked, concerned.

"Uh, no. I'm not scared. I am surprised, though. I seriously never thought I'd get married. Especially not after…". She cleared her throat. "But why me? Your position could get you any woman you want."

"Well, you see, that's the thing, Sam. I want you." He sensed her apprehension. "Look, take some time to think about it. I'll just go." He stood up.

"No! Please. I don't want you to go." She reached for his hand.

"I'm sorry, I've upset you again." He couldn't hide the hurt in his voice. He was hurting because he'd distressed her. He was hurting because she might say no.

"Jack, please. Sit down."

Her eyes were filled with something he hadn't seen in her before but her pleading tone told him everything would be ok.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to make you think that I was upset. I'm not. It's just that I'm not used to all of this. I don't know how I'm supposed to act or what I'm supposed to say."

Jack nodded then sat back down. "I'm sorry, too. Take all the time you need to sort everything out."

Sam sighed. "I don't have an answer for your question, but I will think about it. All I know, is that I don't want you to go away."

He took a deep breath. "Well, what do you say I have dinner brought here."

"That sounds like a great idea."

Jack nodded and stood up again moving toward the door.

"Jack! Thank you. For trusting me."

"Always."

He quietly held her in his arms until their dinner was brought.

"Jack," she said, "will you stay with me tonight? Again?"

"Yeah, of course!"

"I just thought maybe you wouldn't want to be around me while I thought about what you asked."

"No, Sam. I don't want to be apart from you, unless you want me to leave so that you can think things over."

She reached for his hand. "Let's go to bed."

"That is an excellent plan!" They both smiled. As they crawled into bed Jack opened his arms to let her snuggle against him. He waited until she was comfortable before wrapping them around her. He brushed a few strands of hair away from her face. "I love you, Sam." He said as they drifted off to sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

Jack was in pure ecstasy as he held onto the woman he loved. If it were possible he'd never leave this spot. He took in her scent hoping to be able to remember this moment for as long as he could breathe. It was intoxicating and his comfort soon turned to arousal. But Jack didn't want to disturb her sleep and he really didn't want to pressure her after last night. It still hurt him to think he'd made her uncomfortable.

"My Lord!" Teal'c was standing at the door.

Jack groaned loudly and Sam jerked awake.

"Forgive me, but Daniel Jackson is here!"

Teal'C's excitement brought Jack out of his grouchy mood from being disturbed. "I'll be right there!" Teal'C left and shut the door. "Sam, get dressed! I want you to meet Daniel."

"Who?" She was still groggy.

"Just get up and get dressed. Meet me in my office." Jack left to go get himself changed leaving Sam completely bewildered.

"What do I wear?" She asked to the empty room. After she first arrived she found her closet full of different types of clothes, but hadn't worn anything except the simple shirts, pants, or tunics she'd been used to. It took longer than she had hoped but she found something casual, but nice. She didn't want to be under or over dressed to meet whoever it was that Jack was so excited about.

"My Lord," she said bowing slightly as she entered his office. Since she didn't know who "Daniel" was she didn't want to make Jack look bad. Jack rolled his eyes, but gave her the impression that he knew why she did it.

"Sam, don't worry about that. Come in. I want you to meet one of my closest associates. This is Daniel Jackson."

The stranger had turned when she entered, but she hadn't looked at him until now. He was younger than Jack but probably older than she was. He looked attractive and confident as he stood next to Jack. "Sam! It is a pleasure to meet you! I've heard a lot about you from this guy." Daniel walked to her and held out his hand.

Still unsure of how she was supposed to act around him, Sam held her hand out, bowed and said, "The honor is mine, Lord Jackson."

Jack grunted slightly. He stood next to her and put his arm around her gently. "Sam, really, it's ok. Daniel is a trusted friend. He knows all about you."

She relaxed, but only a little. "He does?" Having a total stranger know all about her didn't make her feel comfortable.

"Yes, I've been writing to him, but I haven't seen him in over a year."

"That's right, Sam," Daniel said. "I've been…working."

"Daniel has been working tirelessly to find an important artifact in the deserts of Egypt. He's come here to announce that he's found it!"

She had no idea what they were talking about, but could easily tell their excitement at Daniel's discovery. "Congratulations."

"You don't understand, Sam! Daniel's discovery can change everything! Go ahead, Daniel! Tell her! I'm going to have breakfast sent in."

Daniel nodded to Jack. "Sit, please." He sat down and waited for her to do the same. "I've been working on finding this artifact for over a decade. I had very little proof that it existed, but just enough to keep me going." He brought out a notebook and opened it to some hand drawn pictures. He showed her a page with a ring on it. The ring had symbols she had seen before, but no one had told her what they meant. She recognized only one. Earth. The familiar triangle with a circle on top was all over their world. Ba'al controlled thousands of worlds but Earth was the only one she had been on. She guessed that some people must have been able to go to others. "This is the Stargate. Have you heard about it?"

"Yes. It's only for Lord Ba'al and his servants to use."

"Right. It's capable of sending travelers to other worlds. Most servants of Ba'al prefer to use their own ships, but the lower class servants traveling on Ba'al's orders use the Stargate. Very few Tau'ri have been allowed to use it. I happen to be one of those lucky few. Ba'al has entrusted me with finding long lost Goa'uld artifacts and bringing them to him if I feel they are of value. Through my travels I have learned many things. I've seen more evidence to support my theory about the artifact I was searching for." He flipped through the pages and showed her an unusual cylindrical object. "Here, this is the evidence I found on a dig with my parents when I was just 14 years old." The bottom was flat, but the rest of it gradually stopped leaving a jagged edge along the top. "I found this along with a tablet that described an ancient place capable of defending an entire planet from enemies. But that was it. There was nothing else. Until a year ago when I found a planet with nothing but a single outpost. Inside there was a chair. Next to the chair was a small chamber that seemed to be a perfect fit for the device that I found. I've struggled to get back in order to test it. "Ba'al has demanded my time more and more as he conquers other worlds."

"What is it?"

"Well, we don't know. Not exactly."

"But you have your suspicions?"

"Yes. We think it's a power source that can activate the defense mechanism. The chair I found was dead. Nothing worked at all, but I knew there was something special about it."

"But, Jack said you've found what you were looking for."

His eyes lit up. "I did."

"In Egypt? I thought it would have been thoroughly searched by now."

"Well, yes. Ba'al put a large emphasis on digging the land around Egypt. He's mostly found mummified remains and pottery. I believe he was looking for something specific, though. Something that was Ra's"

"Was it this?" She pointed to the cylindrical object.

"I believe it is. It has been difficult to hide it from Ba'al. He has various forms of torture to make someone reveal the truth. I've managed to avoid such things. I think that because I found it before I was in Ba'al's circle of trust he thought it hadn't been found. But the most interesting thing I've discovered wasn't in Egypt. It was in the southern pole of the planet."

She was curious. "But isn't it just ice?"

"Almost. There was one thing hiding in there. An outpost. With a chair. That's why I need Jack."

"Why Jack?"

"He's the only one I trust with a ship that can get us there undetected. We need to test it out."

"Why? Who do we need defense from? This is Ba'al's world. He's the greatest of all the System Lords."

"Yes, he is, but…" he stopped when Jack came back in, but Sam thought he was hiding something from her.

"Did he explain everything?" He asked her.

"I did," Daniel answered.

Sam was clearly missing information. She didn't know why they'd need defense mechanisms or why Daniel seemed to have something to hide about Lord Ba'al.

Teal'C burst into the room with even more enthusiasm than this morning. "My Lord! Lord Lantash has returned!"

"What? Why?"

"I do not know, but he wishes to see you immediately."

"Sam."

"Should I leave?"

"No, I need you to stay, but I need you to listen carefully to everything. It's important. Can you do that?"

"Yes." She was nervous, but hoped she could make Jack proud of her.

"Ok, Teal'C. Show him in."


	13. Chapter 13

"O'Neill!" The voice boomed. He entered Jack's office followed by a woman. Teal'C recognized her immediately as the same woman Lantash was with the night they were here last.

"Lord Lantash. What an unexpected surprise!" Jack's voice had a hint of nervousness in it.

"I apologize for my abrupt arrival. But I believe I have pertinent information for you."

Teal'C and Jack both noticed Lantash's apology. Goa'uld never apologize.

Lantash looked at Daniel, Sam, and then Teal'C. "Perhaps we could speak in private."

"Lord Lantash, I don't understand what you think I need to know, but these are my most trusted friends. They can hear anything you have to say."

Sam's heart fluttered at being called his trusted friend.

Lantash stared first at Sam, knowing who she was, then turned his attention to Teal'C. "This man is a Jaffa! He was sent here as a spy for Lord Ba'al."

"I know," he said nonchalantly.

"Lord Lantash, I have pledged my allegiance to Master O'Neill. I have discovered for myself that he is a true and honorable man."

"Then you no longer serve Lord Ba'al?"

Teal'C looked to Jack. Jack simply nodded.

"Ba'al has enslaved millions of my people for his own selfish purposes. I no longer serve the false god."

"I see," said Lantash. "Then I was correct in assuming you are apart of the resistance."

Jack straightened up. "The what?"

"On the tour of your region I saw many things that led me to believe that you were the key to overthrowing Ba'al once and for all. But it was Samantha that showed me that something was different here."

They all turned to Sam.

"The kara kesh device. Are you not a servant of Ba'al, believing him to be a god?" Teal'C asked.

Lantash looked down to the floor then lifted his head up. "Forgive me for speaking so bluntly." His voice changed to that of a human. It surprised everyone in the room. "My name is Martouf. I am a Tok'ra."

"Tok'ra, that means against Ra," Daniel said.

"Yes, Daniel Jackson. We have been trying to rid the galaxy of the Goa'uld for thousands of years."

"Teal'C?" Jack asked confused.

"The Tok'ra are a myth. He intends on deceiving you."

"No," the woman spoke. "I am Rosha, host to Jolinar of Malkshur."

"Host?" Daniel asked.

"The Tok'ra share a symbiotic relationship between the host, or body, and the symbiote. We share each other's lives. Neither one is dominant."

"Unbelievable!" Everyone turned to Daniel. "I have seen evidence of them. I just thought it was a myth or that they had been wiped out."

Martouf took a step forward. "On the contrary, Daniel Jackson. Our people have infiltrated the minor system lords and many of our operatives are within the forces of Ba'al. They are waiting for an opportune time to over take them at the same moment."

"But what do you want with me?" Asked Jack.

"Daniel Jackson, Ba'al has entrusted you with acquiring a specific piece of technology, has he not?"

"Yes, that's not a secret."

"But you do have a secret. You have it. In fact, you have had it for many years."

He was dumfounded! "How did you know that?"

"The Tok'ra have attained information beyond your wildest dreams. We have also managed to make formidable allies. We believe O'Neill has the capability to destroy Ba'al and his armada in space."

"Me? How?"

"The ancient alien outpost located on your planet's southern pole. The device Daniel Jackson found will power it. But it is Jack O'Neill's genetic makeup that will turn it on."

"Genetic makeup? What the hell are you talking about?" Jack was getting annoyed.

"There was a race of aliens that lived and died thousands of years ago. They are responsible for the stargate network. Jack O'Neill is one of the few humans that possess the same genetic material that enable the device to work."

"How could you possibly know that?

"We have tested and monitored many prominent families of Earth. Your grandfather was one of them. All we were missing was the modulator that Daniel Jackson found and the location of the ancient outpost." Martouf let the weight of what he'd told them sink in. "Will you help us? We can all be free."

Jack looked around the room before answering. "What if I say no?"

Martouf looked at him gravely. "Then nothing will change. If Ba'al continues to enslave the galaxy he may very well take over the known universe. There is also a chance that someday he will be overtaken by another, more powerful system lord that will be far worse. The Tok'ra remember a time when the system lords were more balanced. Some were cruel. Others were barbaric. Ba'al can be considered one of the more gentle system lords. But only if you remain on his good side. He has been known to destroy entire planets simply because he was upset at their leader. I have information that Ba'al is on his way here, now. My contact believes he is upset with…someone." He was looking at Jack.

"You think he's coming here to destroy Earth?" It was the first words Sam has spoken since they came in.

"Yes, I do." He paused a moment. "Your name is Samantha Carter, is it not?"

"Yes, but you already knew that," she said.

"Samantha," Rosha said stepping toward her. "We have something that you should know about. Much of our information about O'Neill's grandfather came from one source. A carpenter."

She gasped. "My father?"

"Yes," Martouf answered. He nodded to Rosha who left the room. "Jacob Carter was most helpful in acquiring information for many of the leaders in this part of your world. He produced the finest pieces of furniture and was therefore able to enter many homes. He believed in the resistance long before we could be sure that we could overpower Ba'al."

"That means most of my furniture came from him. I didn't change anything after my grandfather died."

Sam looked around the room studying the beautiful furniture in a new light. Now that she looked closer she could see some of her father's old techniques and designs. She tried to conceal the tear that rolled down her cheek, but turned to Jack at the last second.

"Sam." The familiar gentle voice was so strange to hear she thought it had been in her head. "Sam," it said louder. She couldn't deny that she'd heard it out loud. She looked around the room and standing behind Rosha, who had returned, was her father.

"Dad!" As much as she wanted to run to her father she was frozen in place.

"Samantha, your father has been among our ranks for quite some time. He is now Tok'ra."

Jack stepped over to her, clasped her hand and brought her attention to himself. "Come on, Sam," he said gently. He led her to her father.

"Sammy, I'm so sorry," Jacob said holding out his arms.

After a moment Jack had to push Sam into Jacob's arms. She was still shocked to see her dead father standing before her.

Martouf turned to Jack. "They will have much to talk about. But, first we must decide on how to move forward. O'Neill, what is your decision."

"How do you know I can even figure out what to do?"

"I am certain we can and that you are the key."

"How long until you can get word out to the rest of the galaxy?"

"A day or two. Once they hear that the Tau'ri are attacking, then they'll know when to strike. But I believe we must find the ancient outpost before Ba'al arrives. I am certain he knows where it is and will have it heavily guarded."

"How does he know the things of this world? He has rarely visited it." Tea'c said.

"There are some that speculate that Ba'al lived here a thousand years ago."

"But you believe something else?" Teal'c asked.

Martouf paused. "Yes. I believe that he may have altered your world for his own purposes."

"Altered? How?" Daniel asked.

"We are not certain of the method, yet. But we have reason to believe that he came here, took control and chose to wait until this time to destroy it."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"I agree, but that doesn't change what has happened." Jacob had stopped hugging his daughter and joined the conversation. "We need to go. Soon. We can go over all the details on the trip."


	14. Chapter 14

I don't know whether or not Jack needed the ancient knowledge in order to use ancient technology. I mean, none of the others with the gene (like on Atlantis) seemed to need it. But I tend to make up my own rules sometimes. This chapter may be hard to swallow.

* * *

Jack, Daniel, Teal'c, Sam, Jacob, Martouf, and Rosha hovered over the ice of the southern pole in Jack's cargo ship. Martouf and Rosha were scanning the surface for signs of the outpost. Jack, Daniel, and Teal'c waited impatiently behind them. Sam and her father went to the back part of the ship.

"Sam, please forgive me for leaving you to that terrible fate! I believed it to be the right choice. I knew you would be safe…eventually. I was going to die. The Tok'ra contacted me and said they had a way to save me, but it came with a terrible price. I had to leave my old life behind. I believed that I could help save Earth."

"So, you have a Goa'uld inside of you?"

"It is not a Goa'uld. They are the same species, but the Tok'ra are good. They want to rid the galaxy from the false gods that enslave people. We have never been more confident in our ability to do so." Sam still looked confused. "I am the host to Selmak. He is one of the oldest living Tok'ra. He saved my life by entering my body and healing me. I saved his life because his previous host was too old to be healed. Goa'uld use a sarcophagus to keep their human bodies healthy for thousands of years. The sarcophagus damages the human soul with repeated use. The Tok'ra never use them. And they never go into a host without the host's permission. The Goa'uld take the host as slaves, dominate their bodies, and destroy all that is good."

Neither of them spoke for a few minutes. She noticed he was staring at her. "Is something wrong?"

"No," he smiled. "It's just that you're so beautiful. You look so much like your mother." He saw the pain her eyes. "What happened to Mark?"

Sam wiped a tear away as she recalled the small memory of her mother. She could only remember her eyes. She had never thought about it, before, but she knew they were the same as her own. Until this morning she believed she was an orphan abandoned by her brother. "I don't know. I woke up one day after you…died, and he was gone."

"He must have gone looking for me."

"But he knew you were dead."

"No, he saw me the day I left. He knew something was different."

"He's the one that told me you had died. He said they had taken your body away."

"And then you…" Jacob began to cry.

"Dad, I think I understand why you had to go. It wasn't easy, but I'm safe now. I'm happy. You're alive and if we can find Mark then maybe it won't be so bad." She reached out to him, wrapping her arms around her father.

"Sorry to interrupt, but they think they might have found it." Jack stood in the doorway between the two rooms.

Jacob wiped his face. "Sam, could I speak with O'Neill for a few minutes."

She looked from her father to Jack. "Sure. I'll be right out there."

"Master O'Neill," he began.

"Please, call me Jack."

"Jack, no words could ever describe my gratitude to you for saving my little girl. I knew she would be able to take care of herself after I left, but I had no idea she would end up where she did. I can't imagine her having to go through that." Jacob started crying again. "It's all my fault!"

"Hey, it's ok. She's safe now. It's all over." He understood the older man's pain, but seeing him cry made Jack uncomfortable.

"But I can't undo it. I can't take away her pain."

Jack thought for a moment. "No, you can't, but she's an amazing woman. And I think she'll recover from it."

"Martouf said you saved her from the auction block. But why? Why her?"

"Someone tipped me off that she would be there. They said she needed help. It didn't really look that way when I saw her, though. She kicked one of the guards that tried to touch her."

Jacob laughed. "I taught her to defend herself."

"She's a fighter. She broke the nose of one of her masters, escaped a few times, even protected my entire region," he ended warmly.

Jacob looked into Jack's eyes. "You care about her."

"Yes. I do. I love her."

"Jack, I know how special my daughter is, but don't you think you're a little old for her?"

He looked at the floor. "Probably, but I can't help it. She's incredible." Jack paused. "Jacob, I want to marry her."

"What? That's impossible."

"No it isn't."

"A man with your status must marry within that status. Your position depends on it. If you truly want to save your region you cannot marry her. It's a miracle you've stayed unmarried for so long."

"If this cockamamie plan works then I can marry whomever I want. There will be no 'status'. Now, I love her and if she'll have me then I intend on marrying her as soon as possible."

His voice carried over into the front of the ship where everyone else was getting supplies ready. They all stopped when they heard his declaration. Jack cleared his throat. He turned to see Sam standing in the doorway with a strange look on her face.

"I believe we have located the coordinates of the outpost; however, there is a problem," Teal'c announced. "There is likely several hundred feet of ice covering the outpost."

"So, what do we do?" Sam asked.

"We do this." Jacob pulled out a case and revealed colorful crystals. "These are used to make Tok'ra tunnels to hide ourselves deep underground. Teal'c take me down to the surface."

Teal'c nodded then maneuvered the ship onto the ice.

"It will probably be cold down there. There are warm clothes in this crate." Martouf walked over to a large crate in the cargo bay. He pulled out jackets and pants and handed them out to the others. Jacob put his on, waited for the others to leave the cargo bay, opened the doors, then stepped outside. After a few minutes he returned. "It will only take 10 minutes to reach a mile. It should be enough."

They all waited impatiently while Jacob placed the crystals. After a few minutes Teal'C bellowed, "Master O'Neill! A ship has emerged from hyperspace. It is Ba'al!"

"We must act now!" Martouf declared. "Put your warm clothes on." Everyone rushed to obey as Jacob came back in.

"We are ready to ring down to the outpost," Rosha said.

"Good. Rosha, can you stay with the ship?" Asked Jack.

She nodded

Ringing down to the planet was a new experience for Sam. She had seen very little of the Goa'uld technology in action. She wanted to know all about how it worked. Her thoughts were interrupted when they appeared in a dark, cold room. Martouf and Jacob turned something on that illuminated the space. In the center was the chair on a platform. Martouf walked around examining everything. The walls had strange designs. Nothing like the Goa'uld architecture.

"I've found something!" Daniel announced. "Here. There's a compartment just like the one I found on the hidden planet." He took off his pack and opened it. Inside was the cylindrical artifact that he had shown a picture of to Sam. Daniel opened the compartment and saw that there was another device inside. It rose out automatically. "I bet this one is depleted," he said after removing it. "Here goes nothing," he said sliding the new one it into the compartment. Instantly the room lit up, but the chair was the brightest object in the room.

When nothing else happened everyone released the breath they were holding. "So now what?" Jack wondered.

"We believe you must sit in the chair." They all turned to Martouf. "I…"

Suddenly a roar broke through the silence. The rings appeared from the ceiling. Everyone waited nervously but no one expected to see who was standing there when the rings disappeared. "I should have known the four of you would find each other. And look, you've met some old friends, as well."

"Lord Ba'al," Martouf exclaimed weakly.

He was surrounded by guards who were aiming weapons at Jack. They stepped away from the rings. "I once had the pleasure of torturing you to death many, many times. I will have great satisfaction in doing so again. Your friends will meet their own special fates. The traitorous Teal'c will suffer a death befitting him. Daniel Jackson will remain unharmed as long as he continues to be useful. As for Samantha Carter, she will make an excellent host to a young Goa'uld."

"Over my dead body!"

"Yes, exactly!" He had a maniacal smile on his face. "Kill the Tok'ra scum, including the one on the cargo ship."

"NO!" Sam and Martouf shouted together!

Jack wrapped his arms around Sam as she tried running to her father. The guards aimed their weapons at Martouf and Jacob and fired.


	15. Chapter 15

Ba'al turned to his first prime. "Take them to my ship, destroy this place, and then destroy the planet."

Before they could obey the rings appeared again. A single solder emerged and quickly went to the first prime.

"Lord Ba'al, we have received reports of attacks all over the domain. There is a rebellion."

Ba'al was angry. "You dare to tell me such news now?"

Jack took a chance to glance at Teal'c. Ba'al was obviously embarrassed to be told this news in front of his new prisoners. Teal'c's face revealed his pleasure at Ba'al's discomfort, but only Jack saw it.

Sam sobbed into Jack's chest as they were escorted to the rings. After appearing on his ship Ba'al ordered them to be sent to a cell.

"Qetesh, my queen! I have been successful in capturing a group of powerful rebels. Our domain will be rid of all those who doubt my power."

"Congratulations, My Lord." Her voice was flat, void of emotion.

"You do not approve?"

"I do not understand." She stood and walked toward him. "I have no knowledge of the rebels you speak of, especially not on this primitive world. We have ruled over them for a thousand years without any complications. Why now?"

"I have waited for this moment for a thousand years," he proclaimed. "You may not realize it, but this world will be our undoing if we allow it to prosper."

"How do you know this?" She inquired.

"Because I am a God, Qetesh." He turned to his first prime. "Begin the aerial attack and bring O'Neill to me."

"Yes, My Lord."

Ba'al switched the screen to watch the assault. It was slow, but Ba'al was enjoying it immensely.

Jack, Sam, Daniel and Teal'c had never been in this type of predicament in their entire lives. But they were handling it well. Someone had put them in the same cell and they were able to draw strength from each others' presence. Sam was mourning the death of her father, again, but Jack was doing a wonderful job of consoling her. Daniel and Teal'c were talking quietly. When Ba'al's first prime appeared at the door they all stood.

"Tek ma te, Master Bra'tac," Teal'c said warmly.

"It is good to see you, my friend." Bra'tac replied.

"You know him?" Daniel asked.

"I do," said Teal'c. "Master Bra'tac raised me. It is he that made me into who I am. He made me question the validity of the 'gods' we serve."

"I had no idea," said Daniel. "I have met him several times when I've had to deal with Ba'al."

"We have very little time, O'Neill. Ba'al wishes to see you. He will no doubt torture you until you die, revive you with a sarcophagus, and torture you again. You must remain strong, O'Neill. Ba'al's days are numbered. The rebellion has begun all over the galaxy. But first, Samantha Carter, I have a surprise for you." Bra'tac nodded to someone out of their view. "I only had time to save one of them. I hope I chose wisely."

The four prisoners gasped in surprise when Jacob came to the door. "Dad!" Sam slid her arms through the bars of the door to hug her father.

"It was a great risk to use the sarcophagus, but we were able to stay undetected. Now, O'Neill, we must go."

Sam let go of her father when Bra'tac opened the door and turned to Jack. "I'll be ok." He brought his hands up to hold her head. "I love you, Sam," he whispered. And then he kissed her gently.

Before he could step away she said, "I love you, too, Jack."

It was everything he needed to hear. Hearing her say those words would sustain him for what was coming next. He stepped out of the cell, Jacob entered, then Bra'tac locked it again.

"I have more help on the ship. They will ensure your safety for the time being," Bra'tac said to the others.

Bra'tac led Jack into a room and over to a platform. He was immediately sucked into a metallic, web-like panel on the wall. Ba'al was standing across from him. "Hello, Jack O'Neill. I have waited a millennia just for this moment."

"I hope it turns out to be a big disappointment."

Ba'al held up a large knife, looked at its blade, and sat down on a bench in front of Jack.

"You said you had done this before. It just so happens that I don't remember any of it."

"Sadly, you won't. That was another lifetime. But I will not let you escape again." Ba'al stood and held the knife out in front of him.

It looked as though it became horizontal on its own but when Ba'al released it, it didn't fall to the floor. Whatever was holding Jack against the panel pulled the knife toward him. It pierced his left shoulder. Jack grunted in pain.

"The first time we did this you had information that I needed. I was able to attain it. You became so weak that you were willing to tell me everything. That is not the case this time. I am doing this for my own enjoyment."

"I thought you were a god. Gods don't need to use torture to get information. They already know it."

This enraged Ba'al who released another blade hitting him in the center of his chest.

Jack was brought back to the cell with the others after he woke up in the sarcophagus. He lay with his head in Sam's lap while she gently stroked his hair. Jacob watched them together and quietly decided they were good for each other.

Everyone ignored the holes in Jack's shirt, especially the one over his heart. When they came for him again Bra'tac didn't come. Hiding Jacob was going to be a challenge. But for now the others were being ignored.

"When you think about it, your slow deaths are a poetic example of how your planet is being destroyed. I had contemplated how to go about doing so, but I am pleased with the method I have chosen." Ba'al was torturing Jack for the third time. He was dipping the blades into a green substance that burned when they pierced him. Ba'al was avoiding all vital organs choosing instead to aim them for his limbs. After the eighth knife Ba'al killed him again.

As Bra'tac brought Jack back to the cell, he encouraged his new comrade. "You must endure it just a little longer. Ba'al has been gracious enough to postpone his promise to seal the fate of your friends. We are almost ready for the final battle."

"We could have destroyed Ba'al with the device we found under the ice," Jack explained as they approached the cell door. "But you blew it up."

Bra'tac unlocked the door. "On the contrary, my friend, it was not destroyed."

"What?" Daniel asked. "Ba'al ordered you to destroy it."

"I did not obey. The guards that were with us are loyal to the cause. We merely…missed."

"Then we have to get back down!" Jacob exclaimed.

"We will, but not yet. There is one more task which must be done."

They looked at each other curiously. "And what will that be?" Asked Jack.

"We must convince his queen that Ba'al is planning to kill her."

"How? I've seen them together. He never lets her leave his side if it is his wish."

"It is true, she rarely leaves his side, but we have had her slave giving her subtle hints for some time. He is merely waiting for the right moment. It will be soon."

"I sure hope so," Jack said feebly. Sam held his hand.

"I must go. Someone will be coming for O'Neill again. Then we will have our chance. Be cautious." With that, Bra'tac locked the cell door and left.


	16. Chapter 16

This one is a bit short, but the end is near! One more chapter to go.

* * *

"Here we go again," Jack said when the guard came for him. He kissed Sam again as he had done each time he was taken. He didn't know how long Ba'al was going to keep this up, but he guessed it wouldn't be very much longer. Besides, what happens when the rebellion is on this ship is anyone's guess.

"How is it that you have tortured me in the past without me remembering?" Jack wanted to know as much as Ba'al was willing to let slip. Ba'al clearly thought he had a major advantage over Jack and that it wouldn't matter what was revealed.

"I have altered your world to suit my own desires," he said letting a drop of the green substance drip into Jack's thigh.

"Did you change my memories?"

Ba'al humphed, "Foolish human! I have my ways. I am a god."

"No, you're not."

"I grow tired of your insolence!" Ba'al let loose another drop. Jack screamed in pain. It landed on his forehead and burned through his skull.

"My Queen, Lord Ba'al has taken the prisoner again."

"Excellent. Take me to the others. I wish to see them." The young servant bowed and led her through the corridors to the cell. He stopped a few feet away from the door. She stood in front of it. "I am Qetesh, Queen to Lord Ba'al. Come forth, Samantha Carter."

"What do you want with her?" Jacob jumped up from behind Teal'c and Daniel.

"Silence! I do not answer to you. Now, do as I say!"

Apprehensively, Sam stood in front of the cell door looking at the woman on the other side staying just out of arm's reach.

"I have come to behold the woman my mate has chosen to replace my host."

"I don't think so," Sam said defiantly.

"Neither do I. You are beautiful, but I prefer my current host. My slave has tried to convince me that Lord Ba'al is going to try to harm my host enough to make me wish to take another in order to save my life." She looked over at the slave. "He tried to do so discreetly, but failed. I do believe him, though. Ba'al has been acting strangely for months. I believe he knew this day would come, but I do not know how. Why has he brought you here. My slave says Ba'al sought you specifically."

"We don't know," Sam answered. "He only said that he had altered our world for his own purposes."

Qetesh thought on this. "I see. Unfortunately I cannot change your fates." She thought again. "Unless…" she trailed off. "Marcus, see to whatever needs they have. Inform me of any more changes."

The servant bowed, but didn't move until she was out of sight. He stepped in front of the door.

"Mark!" Sam and Jacob said.

When Jack returned he was different. He shooed Sam away, hoping he hadn't upset her, but he needed some time alone for now. When he'd rested he asked, "What did I miss?"

"Quite a bit, actually," Daniel said.

"My brother is here on this ship. He's been a slave to Qetesh."

"I believe he found one of the spies after I left and convinced them to let him be a spy as well. He has been feeding her information. Making her believe that Ba'al would kill her. After they captured us he told her that Sam was going to be the new host to the Goa'uld."

"This must be what Bra'tac was waiting for. The battle will soon be here on this ship," Teal'c said gravely. And then they knew. The uprising might be successful, but they may not make it off this ship.

Ba'al entered his throne room and stopped briefly to watch the attack unfold. "It will not be long now, Qetesh. I will be rid of the infestation this world has plagued me with for far too long."

"And then what shall we do, my love?"

"We shall rule the whole of the universe."

"And how do you know of all these things?" She stood near him watching the attack.

"I have been studying them."

"When? You haven't allowed me to leave your side in a thousand years!"

"Do not worry, my dear we will…"

Qetesh held the hilt of the blade as still as possible. "The edges of the Shikra blade have been honed to the thickness of a single atom. I must keep my hand very still, for fear that one slip will cut you in half."

He stood still, struggling to control his breathing.

"Now, tell me, how can you possibly know so much about this world?"

"I told you, my sweet."

She pressed the blade, causing him to gasp in pain.

"For a short time, I confess, I did live among them."

"When?"

"Another life, another time. The universe offers many pleasures, Qetesh. Pleasures I intend to share with you."

"Not good enough." She pulled the blade from Ba'al slicing him in half.

At that moment Bra'tac entered the throne room. Qetesh saw him and pointed her kara kesh at him.

"Do you require assistance, My Queen?" He said as he saw the body on the floor.

She eyes him suspiciously, but he continues to stand there unfazed.

She lowered her arm. "Stop the attack. Tell them Lord Ba'al has granted them mercy. And bring the prisoners to me."

"As you wish." Bra'tac bowed and hurried toward the cell. As he ran he told his guards to stop the attack. "It is time." He opened the cell. "Ba'al is dead at the hands of his queen Qetesh. I must send you to the surface now or she will know."

"What about my brother?"

"He will know what to do. Now, go!"

"Are you not coming with us, old friend?"

"Not this time, Teal'c. I must tell the others to flee the ships, but the uprising must continue on the ground."

"Rel'tor'key," Teal'c said as he grasped Bra'tac's arm.


	17. Chapter 17

Here it is! The final chapter! Thanks for sticking with me this far! Thank you for the reviews!

* * *

Sam turned away when she saw the body of Martouf on the floor of the outpost. "Let's cover him up," Jack said. The lights had stayed on while they were on the Ha'tak. He walked around the large room. Except for the chair only a capsule was in the room. "I wonder what this is for."

"Jack, come sit in the chair," said Daniel.

"What's it supposed to do?"

"We're not entirely sure," Jacob said. "Just sit."

Jack looked back to Sam who had been staring at the capsule. "Ok." As soon as he sat down the chair reclined and lit up. "Whoa!" A hologram of Earth appeared over his head. Several dots orbited it.

"Those must be Ba'al's armada."

"I don't know what else to do."

"Try thinking of making them blow up," Daniel said.

"Yeah, like it's that easy," Jack joked. Suddenly a cavern opened in the floor of the room and a horde of bright objects emerged and floated up and out.

"Wow!"

Sam came closer to the chair. It was fascinating. She watched as the hologram projected the shining lights soaring beyond the atmosphere attacking the ships one by one. "Jack, find Ba'al's mothership! Attack it first!"

Jacob was surprised, but proud that his daughter could think of such a tactical move.

The dots on the screen disappeared one by one. Then they went for the one in the center. A few ships disappeared. "They must be entering hyperspace," Jacob explained. "They will spread the news of Ba'al's defeat."

The bright lights began fading as they destroyed the ships then they went out completely. All except one. The mother ship was still orbiting Earth. The hologram went out and the chair sat up, but Jack slumped over.

"Jack!" Sam screamed.

"Sam," he mumbled before losing consciousness.

"What do we do?" Asked Daniel.

Silently, Sam walked back to the capsule. "Put him in here." It was barely audible. "Put him in here!" She yelled.

Teal'c quickly picked up Jack and placed him inside. Lights came on then a shield wrapped around him.

"How did you know to put him in there?"

"I don't know. I just had a strange feeling that he should go in." She looked over at Jack. "We can't just leave him like this. I mean, there has to be a way to reverse the process. The answer has to be somewhere." She looked around the room.

"Sorry, Sam. There's nothing else here. The outpost is too small to be anything besides the weapon."

She walked closer to the capsule and placed her hand against the shield. "We're going to get you out of here."

The roar from the rings brought them all out of their somber mood. "Who could that be?" They all thought.

Relief spread through them when Bra'tac appeared. "Well done! Well done! The fleet has been destroyed. Ba'al will rule over us no longer!"

"But his mothership is still up there with his queen," said Jacob

"No, Qetesh is dead as well. Killed by her slave."

"Mark!" Said sam.

Bra'tac nodded. "Come. We must show our strength now. Chaos will ensue without a leader. The rebellion on land will soon be difficult to take control of."

"We can't go. Jack…he isn't well," Sam said sadly.

When Bra'tac's face showed his misunderstanding they explained about Jack. "We can revive him with the sarcophagus."

"Are you sure?" Asked Daniel.

"Yes. I have seen this once before. It's construction is slightly different, but I believe it will work." He walked to the capsule and examined it closely. "Here." He pushed a button hidden on the back. Teal'c caught Jack then they all ringed up to the Ha'tak.

Mark was waiting for them. Sam hugged him. "It is so good to see you!" She said.

"I am so sorry for abandoning you! I thought I could do something to help," Mark said deeply.

"I know, Mark. Everything is going to be ok, now."

"Jaffa! Kree!" Bra'tac bellowed. Two men suddenly appeared. "Take him to the sarcophagus!" Teal'c let them take Jack.

Sam watched them nervously.

"Mark! You have done us a great service," said Bra'tac.

Jacob took a step closer to hug his son, but stopped. He pointed his zat'nik'tel at Mark.

"What are you doing?" Yelled Sam

"He is not your brother!"

Teal'c went closer to Mark. "Jacob is correct. He is a goa'uld."

Anger shone on Mark's face and when he spoke it was the deep, booming voice of a goa'uld. "You are correct! I was forced to flee into this slave when he tried to murder me."

"Qetesh!" Said Bra'tac.

"You will address me as your queen!" He roared.

"Well, not so much," said Jacob.

"Damn these human bodies! I am your god and you will obey me."

"No, we won't!" Sam said.

"You! You will suffer for your audacity to address me in this manner." Mark raised his hand. It had a kara kesh on it. "I may have use for your body after all."

Jacob did not hesitate to shoot him. Sam turned to her father to see a tear roll down is cheek. "He is merely asleep. The Tok'ra have means of extracting the goa'uld from the host, but it is not without risk. There is still a chance Mark could die." Jacob knelt next to his son. "I am sorry."

They were in hyperspace toward the Tok'ra planet by the time Jack woke up. Sam was standing over Jack when the sarcophagus opened. "He's awake!" She announced. "Jack, are you ok?"

"Yeah," he groaned. "Did we win?"

She smiled. "Yes! You did it!"

He sat up. "Why am I here again?"

"We think the chair wore you out," Daniel answered.

"Sounds about right, but why are we on the Ha'tak?"

"We took it."

"Huh," he said getting up. "Are we going somewhere?"

"My brother was taken over by Qetesh. We're going to the Tok'ra to see if we can get her out."

He stepped out of the sarcophagus and hugged Sam. "Are you ok?" She nodded. "Teal'c, Jacob?"

"Teal'c is flying the ship. Jacob went with Bra'tac to enlist the help of the Jaffa on the ship." The three of them began walking to the bridge of the ship. Sam held Jack's hand.

Daniel thought for a minute. "Jack, how many times have you been in the sarcophagus?"

"I'm not sure, 4 or 5 times?"

"Is that enough to cause him to go crazy?" Sam asked worriedly.

"I don't know. Jacob would, though. We'll have to watch you carefully. Trust me, it's not a fun process to go through."

"You've been in one?" Sam asked.

"Yes. I came across a civilization that tried turning me into their king. I became addicted to the sarcophagus and when I was rescued I had to experience the process of withdrawal."

"Who rescued you?"

"Ba'al, actually. I started working for him when he learned of my skills. He seemed to take a strong liking to me, though I don't know why."

"How did you meet Jack?"

"By chance," answered Jack. "I took a trip to Egypt a few years back. Daniel just happened to be there."

"And we've been inseparable since," Daniel joked.

"Actually, Daniel hasn't been to my house in a very long time. He's had to maintain his 'loyalty' to Ba'al. But we've corresponded when necessary."

"And were you both apart of the resistance Martouf talked about?"

"Not officially. I kept an eye on certain things, but my main goal was to have a peaceful place to live," Jack explained.

"I was more of an informant. My job was to observe and report. Ba'al was told what he needed to hear to keep him satisfied. Sometimes that was easier than others."

When they reached the bridge Teal'c greeted Jack. "We will be at the Tok'ra world soon."

"What's the plan after that?" Jack asked.

"We will return to Earth," Bra'tac said as he entered. "You must stop your people from destroying each other. You must become their leader."

"Uh, no, thank you."

"Jack, you would make a wonderful leader! Look at what you've done with your region," Sam said.

Daniel nodded. "She's right, Jack. Yours is the best on Earth."

"It doesn't have to be permanent. Just help them get on their own feet," Sam encouraged.

"Teal'c, what do you think?"

"I believe you are the most qualified for the job. But it is your path to choose."

Jack heard something strange in his friend's voice. "Aren't you going to be there with me?"

Teal'c looked to Bra'tac and back to Jack. "I am sorry, my friend. Chulak will need me more than ever. I must return home with Bra'tac."

The older man looked humbled. "I would be honored to have you by my side."

Jack slowly walked to his friend. "I can't begin to tell how much you mean to me, T. I wouldn't be here without you."

"It was my honor to serve with you, Jack O'Neill. I wish you the best of luck for the future."

Jack held his arm out, but Teal'c grabbed him into a big hug.

Down on the planet the Tok'ra were taking Mark through the tunnels. "I'm going to stay here for a while, Sam. I'll bring Mark home soon."

"I hope so, Dad. I'll miss you both."

"I know, kiddo. But as soon as things settle down I'll come for a long visit. Maybe by then I'll have a grandchild, or two." Jacob winked at Jack. Embarrassed by his choice of words Sam looked at the floor. "Take good care of my daughter, Jack. I know plenty of ways of torturing you."

Jack didn't doubt that he could. "Yes, sir."

Bra'tac and Teal'c dropped Sam and Jack off on Earth then returned to Chulak.

Word of what had happened spread through Jack's region before they made it back home. It seemed that everyone was there to welcome them and to thank them for their freedom.

Three months later Jack had managed to convince most of the planet that Ba'al was dead and that Earth was free. He captured any remaining Goa'uld and Jaffa that refused to believe him and sent them to Chulak through the Stargate. He left their fate to the Tok'ra and Bra'tac.

The women were freed! The horrible slave system was done away with! Some of the women in Jack's harem were able to go home. A few more were welcomed by others that were able to help them. But the rest chose to stay in Jack's house.

News of Sam's bravery and her role in Ba'al's defeat were celebrated all over the planet. The people soon welcomed Jack and Sam as their leaders.

He had his most successful merchants and tradesmen going around the planet training the various regions in how Jack ran things. It would take a very long time to get everything running smoothly, but it was working better than he had expected.

"Sam," he said as he held his wife in his arms, "I think it was a wonderful idea to introduce Janet to Daniel. They seem to be hitting it off!"

"I had a good feeling about them."

"Before long they'll be having kids."

"Not before we do," she said smiling.

"Wait, what?"

The End.


End file.
